Raj, a 3 years old boy came to my clinic with his parents. They were complaining that he gets recurrent colds and infections. His history revealed that he was sent to his grandmother's when he was just 8 months old. Since then he is getting this problem. I started thinking that why this kid was sent to his grandmother's home when he was just 8 months old? The answer was provided to me by his mother. It was because they had avery tight schedule and they had no time to take care of the child. They both have a job and are busy from 10am to 06pm.
This situation is now a days very common in our community. As a necessity, both husband and wife have to work. Families are getting smaller and needs are getting bigger. To provide everything to their child in the future they did this, which, for them was right. Nobody in this situation was thinking about the kid. Why to think about him when his parents are trying to give him a better future. Now, when he is 3 years old they have enough money to send him to a good school and can afford a good baby sitter.
Now the boy still gets those colds and infections. The frequency is increased. He used to come to my clinic 3-4 times in a week. He was always clinging to his mother.Never wanted to leave her for a minute also. He used to always cough as if he is having some serious things going on in his chest. We did all necessary investigations and everything was normal. But his cough was there, and was bothering his parents very much. They were always complaining about one thing that they have to take leave from office to take care of him. They were more worried about the office than kids cough.
They never understood their child's need. They never had time to spend with him.He was actually mimicking cough so that he can spend time with his parents. He wanted to compensate that time which he missed with them. He wanted heir attention, he wanted to show them those tricks which he learnt at his granny's home. He wanted to go to the park and play with other kids while his parents watch him from a bench. He only wanted his childhood back, and that was his fault. He is now taking precautionary treatment for T.B. Nobody understood his needs. Nobody understood his cough. One more child lost his innocence, his childhood to the rat race. Earning money might secure his future but at present he is taking treatment for the disease which he might never have.Hats off to those who thought that this treatment will give him those days back. I really don't know how many more will lose their childhood because their parents want to secure their future.