4 Doctor Pet Peeves You Should Avoid
Do you know your doctor’s pet peeves? Find out whether you do anything that secretly bothers your doctor.
Rob Lamberts, MD
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4 Doctor Pet Peeves You Should Avoid
I have to get some things off of my chest, and this article will be an opportunity to dump some of my pet peeves on you, my beloved audience. It may seem a bit selfish on my part, but you are going to be my therapists. Hopefully my psychological gain will be a learning experience for you, and you will realize that–as a patient–you no longer have to worry about certain things.;
Pet Peeve #1: Don’t Worry About “Obese” Babies
My first peeve is from the world of pediatrics. The problem of childhood obesity is more serious than ever, and in recent years another problem has come up: parents paranoid about obese infants. During the first year of their lives, I see children every 2-3 months to see how they are growing and developing. More and more, I am seeing parents worried that their four-, six-, or nine-month-old child is obese.
Let me say this plainly: babies are supposed to be fat. Unless an infant is being given a diet consisting of French fries, bacon, or cheeseburgers, the size of a child is largely genetically determined. As long as a baby is fed breast milk or formula along with normal baby foods, it is highly unlikely that the child’s weight is due to overeating. Infants generally double their birth weight by four months of age, and triple it by twelve months. That’s a lot of growing. Add to that the development and growth of the brain, and you have a very large need for fuel. So the baby’s body stores away energy in the form of baby fat. It’s like putting extra money into a bank account before going on vacation. You know you will need extra money, so you plan ahead. That’s what babies are doing. Don’t bring your baby to Jenny Craig, please!
Pet Peeve #2: End Earwax Embarrassment
For some reason, people have decided that earwax is embarrassing. I routinely look into people’s ears when they come in to see me, and I frequently get the comment: “Sorry I didn’t clean it out better. I’m sure there’s a lot in there.”
Don’t worry about it! I look into ears every day, and see a bunch of earwax! Whatever repulsion I once felt about earwax is now gone. I’ve gotten over it. Besides, why would earwax be a source of shame? Are fingernails? Is saliva? They are all normal things in the body, and not a source of embarrassment. You probably shouldn’t go around showing your neighbors your earwax, but don’t feel like your doctor thinks less of you because you have it. Get over it!
Pet Peeve #3: Don’t Be a Busybody
Busybodies can be annoying in many ways, but the ones who bother me tell people about right ways to raise their children. They give medical advice. They think they know things when often they don’t. They make my job much harder!
If your doctor won’t give you antibiotics, you most likely don’t need them; realize he or she is probably being a good doctor.
Sometimes busybodies are family members; mothers and mothers-in-law are especially good at making people worry unnecessarily about their childrearing ability and about their child’s health. Now, you may think that is not busybodying, as grandparents have a right to worry about their grandchildren. I agree with this…up to a point. What wakes me up at night in a cold sweat is when grandparents insist they know more than the pediatrician. “Doesn’t he know that little Bobby needs braces for his bowlegs?” “Doesn’t he realize that fevers cause brain damage?” This puts parents–especially mothers–in a precarious political situation; they have to either doubt grandma (and do so at their peril), or question their doctor. Sometimes I order a consult just to get grandma off of mom’s back.
I don’t mind being questioned–in fact I encourage it–but I don’t want to enter into a contest over the trust of my patients with friends and families. Bug off, busybodies!
Pet Peeve #4: Avoid Bad Doctors
This may seem a little uppity for me, calling other doctors bad, but there are bad docs out there; trust me. Some doctors hand out antibiotics or pain medications without hesitation. When they do that, they create expectations in patients that are not only unrealistic, they are unhealthy. Then when the patient comes to me as a doctor I am perceived as a “bad doctor” because I don’t give antibiotics for a sniffle or give narcotics like they are Halloween candy. If your doctor won’t give you these medications, you most likely don’t need them. Instead of being angry, realize he or she is probably being a good doctor.
I think I’m feeling better now. This therapy session has helped me a lot. Of course, I’ve got lots more pet peeves I could share, but I don’t want the Modern Manners Guy to have to publicly reprimand me. I’d love to hear your pet peeves (medically related, please). Visit my Facebook page and we can get a group therapy session going!
If you have topics that you want me to cover, send them to housecalldoctor@quickanddirtytips.com, or you can submit them to me on twitter (@housecalldoc) or my Facebook page.
Let me once again remind you that this podcast is for informational purposes only. My goal is to add to your medical knowledge and translate some of the weird medical stuff you hear, so when you do go to your doctor, your visits will be more fruitful. I don’t intend to replace your doctor; he or she is the one you should always consult about your own medical condition.
Catch you next time! Stay Healthy!
Doctor and Patient image courtesy of Shutterstock