A Child’s Play
Hitashi Thakkar, MBBS Intern

As an intern posted in the pediatrics department for the first time, I had no idea what I would experience. Being an enthusiastic and excited intern, I was overjoyed on a Sunday morning by the thought of being posted in pediatrics. Cute little munchkins everywhere—how could anyone not be happy about it? But that thought, or delusion, if I might say, was completely shattered as I entered the ward.
As I was about to introduce myself, the residentyelled, “Aye, tu intern hai kya? Jaldi aa!” (Are you the intern? Come fast!) I was rushed into the ICU for an emergency the moment I entered. There I saw a 5-year-old girl being intubated as her oxygen saturation was dropping. My first 24-hour duty was spent monitoring this child along with many others. While being on the field, it was hard not to wonder how pediatricians do it every day, surrounded by crying sick children who refuse to let you draw blood and scream at the sight of any medicine.
Pediatricians have a different level of zen. No amount of screaming or crying can bother a consultant. The way they handle crying sick children all day with a smile is definitely a wonder.
When we imagine hospitals, we tend to think of old, debilitated patients on their deathbeds. While this image may be true in the general wards, it’s shattered as you enter the pediatrics ward.

That’s why pediatrics is one of the toughest branches to pursue.
The patient is unable to give consent, is apprehensive about testing and needles, and cannot understand the gravity of the sickness they face. This makes it all the more challenging for pediatricians to handle patients. I think pediatrics is the most underrated branch among all medical faculties. It constitutes children who can’t express or speak, to young adults who try to refuse every single procedure or examination.
A pediatrician has the knack of just knowing how to examine a child while simultaneously making it into a play and also satisfying the mother, who at times is too apprehensive about every little symptom.
It seems challenging in a way that both the child and the parents are paranoid about any single invasive procedure and investigation. While everyone loves children, dealing with sick children while being joyful even on 48-hour duties requires true resilience and passion.
The most puzzling thing about pediatricians is the way they figure out the difference between different types of cries. Like, hello? The tone and the pitch of crying, along with the reason? Most of the time, these consultants can figure out in seconds whether the child is fake crying or not, which seems like a superpower in itself. So, the next time you cry, just make sure there’s a pediatrician around.

And don’t even get me started on the dose calculation, the weight, and the growth charting. The mental math ability these people have is crazy. Remind me, I entered medicine to not do math, right?
But as challenging as it might sound, one round in the PNC ward can heal your soul. The happy waves and the cute smiles on discharge day make it all worth it. Babies might be cranky and fussy, but it all comes together when they come and hug you and say the words, “Bye, doctor.” We all think children are angels, and they sure are, but in my opinion, pediatricians are angels with the power and skills of a devil (just kidding).