8 months

He’s “just in for a checkup”, his mum tells me as she brings the happy little 8-month-old into the room. I ask about his history ... he had a low birth weight, he’s been lying on the 3rd centile for all growth parameters, he wasn’t feeding well at the start and he’s had a hydrocele. Sounds like there’s a lot to “check up” on.

He’s picked up a bit lately though – started feeding well, he’s been putting on weight and he’s obviously pretty happy about life. I do his weights and measures, and we note that he’s now in the 50th centile on the growth charts, so he’s caught up well. The doctor examines the testes – everything is normal and the hydrocele is gone. And then he has a listen to the boy’s lungs. It tickles and the boy starts a little staccato laugh.

The doctor then tickles the boy’s tummy, and chuckles when the boy bursts out laughing again. And then they just keep setting each other off, the baby’s bleating laughter like a little lamb and the doctor’s deep chuckle. They keep it up for a few minutes and then the boy keeps looking at the doctor with his bright eyes and big smile, kicking his legs and waiting for the laughter to start again. I’ve never seen anybody have so much fun in a doctor’s appointment.