This is cute. I've heard about this "miraculous improvement" in a sick twin, but I don't know if it was an isolated incident or if it is a commonly seen occurrence.
Maybe some medical student out there could weigh in on this...
2 comments:
Anonymous
said...
There is plenty of data to show that babies provided sustenance and shelter without a warm soft touch will fail to thrive and generally do poorly. I suppose lying next to another baby will do about as well. I'm thinking about the experiment in which monkey babies were placed with chicken wire mommies or chicken wire mommies covered with soft terry cloth. The latter group fared better.
As far as instincts go, I'd bet the one twin was reaching over with a thought to eat or mate with the other twin. Seriously, babies move and sometimes an arm might end up on a bedmate's back. Or maybe the one was reaching out to be picked up. Not uncommon. Also, if you are cold, try lying next to another source of heat, say, a person. If you'd like to increase your heart rate explore something interesting, say, a video game or new neighbor.
My favorite part is the classic character involved -- the intuitive nurse who defies the supposedly learned opinions of hopelessly robotic doctors. Med students would probably pooh-pooh the doctors too out of insecurity except that they get to be in that role someday.
Here's the new ending:
Later the staff found that the twin's temperature had increased to 104 and that he was unconsolably irritable, two traits that matched his new crib partner. Who got the infection first was not clear. The infection was treated with an Appalacian herbal remedy, and it was determined that the infection was due to a lack of "human togetherness". Nurse Ratchet's plan was made policy. All newborns were piled together in a communal crib and sung to in soft tones.
2 comments:
There is plenty of data to show that babies provided sustenance and shelter without a warm soft touch will fail to thrive and generally do poorly. I suppose lying next to another baby will do about as well. I'm thinking about the experiment in which monkey babies were placed with chicken wire mommies or chicken wire mommies covered with soft terry cloth. The latter group fared better.
As far as instincts go, I'd bet the one twin was reaching over with a thought to eat or mate with the other twin. Seriously, babies move and sometimes an arm might end up on a bedmate's back. Or maybe the one was reaching out to be picked up. Not uncommon. Also, if you are cold, try lying next to another source of heat, say, a person. If you'd like to increase your heart rate explore something interesting, say, a video game or new neighbor.
My favorite part is the classic character involved -- the intuitive nurse who defies the supposedly learned opinions of hopelessly robotic doctors. Med students would probably pooh-pooh the doctors too out of insecurity except that they get to be in that role someday.
Here's the new ending:
Later the staff found that the twin's temperature had increased to 104 and that he was unconsolably irritable, two traits that matched his new crib partner. Who got the infection first was not clear. The infection was treated with an Appalacian herbal remedy, and it was determined that the infection was due to a lack of "human togetherness". Nurse Ratchet's plan was made policy. All newborns were piled together in a communal crib and sung to in soft tones.
I knew that would elicit an interesting response. Thanks!
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