Walk with Amy :: Allergy test

[pne]

Yesterday afternoon, we went on a walk with Amy (we on foot, Amy on her balance bicycle).

We saw a couple of young girls (maybe 11 or so), who obviously overheard me speaking English to Amy.

At one point, one the girls approached me and asked timidly, "Do you have the time, please?"

I pulled my mobile phone out of my pocket and showed it to her (my screensaver is a full-screen digital clock): 16:02. I said, "kurz nach vier".

She seemed a tad flustered and asked me whether I was English; I said yes.

After we went on, Stella commented to me that the girl must have screwed up all her courage in order to approache me; I chuckled and said that I had felt the same thing. Especially since she not only spoke to me in her (presumably school-learned) English but must also have been prepared to understand the response!

Afterwards, I wondered whether I had done her a disservice by answering her in German; I suppose that depends on whether she really wanted to know the time (unlikely, in hindsight, given that her friend had a mobile phone on her that she had used to snap some pictures with, and which presumably had the right time) or whether she wanted to practise her English or impress her friend. Ah well.

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A bit later on, while coming back from the big meadow where Amy could ride her balance bicycle to her heart's content without having to worry about cars, Amy failed to stop when we called to her to stop, so I ran after her and picked her up and we went home, with her on foot rather than on the balance bicycle.

I later asked Stella whether I had been too strict but she said no; I think that when the parents say, "Stop!" or "Wait!" that the child has to listen immediately and not treat it as a joke, because it could be something serious.

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This morning, I had a prick test for allergies. She only tested seven substances (salt solution; histamine; two kinds of mites; grasses; rye; and birch), four of which developed into huge wheals/welts. Fortunately, after the doctor looked at them, the assistant put some Fenistil (topical antihistamine? not quite sure what it does) on them and the itching went away. But I still have big bumps there now, an hour later.

Comments

[yvi]

I later asked Stella whether I had been too strict but she said no; I think that when the parents say, "Stop!" or "Wait!" that the child has to listen immediately and not treat it as a joke, because it could be something serious.

I think that's a good parenting rule. Something dangerous could happen and so a child must learn 'No' and 'Stop'.

four of which developed into huge wheals/welts

Ouch. My sympathies. Not only for the test, but also the allergies - sounds like you have some rather severe one.

[pne]

Ouch. My sympathies.

Thanks.

Incidentally, when Stella called to inquire how things had gone and what the doctor had found, she asked whether they had tested for penicillin.

I had completely forgotten about that; that could have been worth checking out.

I guess we'll find out in a couple of days, though, when I finish my course of tablets.

(That reminds me, I should take my next one round about now.)

[alsatia]

Fenistil (topical antihistamine? not quite sure what it does)

Yep, topical antihistamine. They're really good for allergic reactions on the skin, because you can apply directly to the affected area and it works faster (and generally with little to no side effects) than taking the exact same medicine orally. The visual effects of the reaction won't necessarily go away, but it stops the horrible itching (as you observed).

[pthalo]

Yes, you should have responded in English. It would have been good practice for her, and while she would have understood you better in German, she might end up feeling that her English wasn't good enough for you to reply in English.

Yes, you did the right thing with Amy. Stop is a serious command and the child needs to be trained to respond immediately, whether she is or isn't in danger (because she might be without realising it). It's also good to pick a word to use for "stop, you're in a dangerous situation" that won't get mixed up with "No, but you can convince me otherwise if you whine enough" My friend used the word "freeze" with her son Noah, and he responded really well to it. But she would only use it in situations where there was danger.

[chasy]

that story of the little girl walking up to you to ask the time was incredibly charming. i don't know why. it just was. :)