We traveled an hour and half to Charleston, SC to see a pediatric endocronologist this afternoon. Our new pediatrician was not completely confident that Sawyer's problem was solved when we had his 9 month check-up last week. Even though his head circumference jumped to the 50th percentile and his weight percentile was also going up (slowly, but surely), his height percentile was continuing to drop.
Really, I think that this Nurse Practicioner did not want to be the one responsible for an ALL CLEAR diagnosis after Sawyer had been on such a long road.
So we went. Tired at this point of doctors who are unsure. Who want to run test after test after test. Drawing blood from our little man who barely makes a peep every time a needle is stuck into his tiny little arm.
Personally, I felt good about going to see a specialist. Finally, I thought, someone who will know exactly what the heck he is talking about and will give us answers with assurance on his side. I was right.
The lovely doctor we went to see today assured us that he is not at all concerned about Sawyer's weight at this point (according to their scales he had gained a pound since his appointment only last week! why can't there be a universal scale because darnit one pound makes a heck of a lot of difference!!). He is now almost in the 50th percentile for weight! My heart soared when he gave me those numbers.
As far as Sawyer's height, he's not too concerned about that either. He theorizes that either a) Sawyer's height is just lagging a bit behind his weight and head percentile now that he is starting to pack on the pounds - he said that just as it is the height that is the last to go when a baby is not thriving, it can also be the last to come back up when the baby begins to thrive again. or b) Sawyer's height has simply been dropping to its normal resting place at approximately the 25th percentile. He does believe that Sawyer is meant to be tall-ish, but said that he might not shoot up until puberty. Basically, what he gave us was something no one else has been able to yet: assurance. Our baby is OK. (Also, this doctor walked in and immediately gave him the award for cutest patient of the day. We kind of liked him a lot after that).
He does want to follow-up in four months to make sure that Sawyer is continuing to grow at an acceptable rate and he did notice something from Sawyer's last blood tests that he wanted to re-test. He said it's possible it's not an accurate reading and that happens a lot, but if it was an accurate reading it would be something that he would want to look into.
Overall, though, he had us leaving feeling better than we've felt in a long time.
And the blood draw today? It took about 10 seconds. The lady was awesome, and I am sure Mike and I made her day as we praised her over and over and over for her amazing blood-drawing-skills.
I pray that we don't get a call from that doctor telling us that what he noticed in Sawyer's blood tests really is something. Hopefully we can then begin to close this door for a little while and move on with the knowledge that we have a healthy and happy little man on our hands.
Also, just 5 minutes ago, Sawyer pulled himself up to a standing position for the very first time. It was the one thing his primary care pediatrician kept asking about last week... and now he did it.
He never ceases to amaze us.
He's just the very very best.
1 comment:
Awe. Some.
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