The mind boggles

[Malthus]

Heh, this is a silly debate. When you are a first-time parent, chances are you are going to want all the safety advice from actual trained professionals you can get (as opposed to useless advice that tends to get heaped on new parents by the usual suspects). You are going to want your doc to tell you as much as he can. Not all of the precautions are instantly obvious and even smart people make mistakes.

Resenting him because it 'isn't his job' is just odd.

No, I don't think anyone is doing that.

If I wanted advice on how to care for a baby, at the top of my list would be my pediatrician (or rather, at least in the top three, like Monoriu notes I don't think I'd bother him for advice on how to store firearms) for obvious reasons. However, I think I would probably be pretty pissed if my pediatrician demanded answers to questions I felt were none of his business.

Whether the doc was an asshole in the way he went about giving out advice in the OP story by demanding answers (let alone whether a law was a reasonable response to this alleged 'problem'  ) are seperate issues.

The "debate" I'm referring to is the silly notion that docs have no business advising patients about these matters in the first place.

[DGuller]

There are so many obviously bad second order consequences to legislation like this. How can something like this actually get passed, anywhere???

I think there are two underlying reasons:

1)  Stanley Ann Dunham chose a black dude to get knocked up by.
2)  The product of that knocking up decided to be a Democrat.

That's really all there is to that paranoia, everything else is just a rationalization.

[Slargos]

The "debate" I'm referring to is the silly notion that docs have no business advising patients about these matters in the first place.

They have no business forcing that advice on the patient.

[Ed Anger]

I blame Dr. Spock for the pussification of parents.

[Valmy]

I blame Dr. Spock for the pussification of parents.

Back in your day your parents forced you to walk uphill to school bothways in the snow with a loaded Walther P38 amiright?

[Ed Anger]

I blame Dr. Spock for the pussification of parents.

Back in your day your parents forced you to walk uphill to school bothways in the snow with a loaded Walther P38 amiright?

We were allowed to walk to school, yes.

And we had Brownings.

[DGuller]

Heh, this is a silly debate. When you are a first-time parent, chances are you are going to want all the safety advice from actual trained professionals you can get (as opposed to useless advice that tends to get heaped on new parents by the usual suspects). You are going to want your doc to tell you as much as he can. Not all of the precautions are instantly obvious and even smart people make mistakes.

Resenting him because it 'isn't his job' is just odd.

Yes, as I have stated earlier in this thread, if I were a parent I will welcome the advice.  I just don't understand why the doctor will want to give out such advice.  He should be seeing his next patient, not talking swimming pool with me.

Maybe he wants to do his job?  You seem to have an extremely inflexible idea of what a pediatrician's job description is, and assume that it cannot be anything else than what you think it is.  Ever heard the saying: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?"

[Monoriu]

Maybe he wants to do his job?  You seem to have an extremely inflexible idea of what a pediatrician's job description is, and assume that it cannot be anything else than what you think it is.  Ever heard the saying: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?"

I think my problem is that I consider quick service an important part of good service.  Waiting 2 hours to see a doctor is not fun.  I'll be very pissed if the wait is due to the doctor talking swimming pool and guns with other patients. 

[Valmy]

I think my problem is that I consider quick service an important part of good service.  Waiting 2 hours to see a doctor is not fun.  I'll be very pissed if the wait is due to the doctor talking swimming pool and guns with other patients. 

Maybe you shouldn't show up 2 hours before your appointment and maybe you should stop seeing your pediatrician and see a doctor for adults

But even with safety discussions here in the US your appointments are rarely longer than 20 minutes...maybe 5 minutes with the doctor.  Mostly he just says 'oh and keep these things in mind to keep your kid safe'.

[Monoriu]

Maybe you shouldn't show up 2 hours before your appointment and maybe you should stop seeing your pediatrician and see a doctor for adults

But even with safety discussions here in the US your appointments are rarely longer than 20 minutes...maybe 5 minutes with the doctor.  Mostly he just says 'oh and keep these things in mind to keep your kid safe'.

Doctors in HK generally take in about twice or three times the number of patients as they should.  Appointment times are always "indicative" only. 

[Berkut]

Heh, this is a silly debate. When you are a first-time parent, chances are you are going to want all the safety advice from actual trained professionals you can get (as opposed to useless advice that tends to get heaped on new parents by the usual suspects). You are going to want your doc to tell you as much as he can. Not all of the precautions are instantly obvious and even smart people make mistakes.

Resenting him because it 'isn't his job' is just odd.

No, I don't think anyone is doing that.

If I wanted advice on how to care for a baby, at the top of my list would be my pediatrician (or rather, at least in the top three, like Monoriu notes I don't think I'd bother him for advice on how to store firearms) for obvious reasons. However, I think I would probably be pretty pissed if my pediatrician demanded answers to questions I felt were none of his business.

I agree. In which case I would find another pediatrician.

[Slargos]

I don't know about the slopes, but the only time I've been received as scheduled to an appointment was the time I was rushed into surgery.

Last time I went to the doctor for a scheduled appointment, I had to spend an hour in his waiting room (15 minutes early, he was 45 minutes late) and it's typically the same thing at the dentist. Of course, if I'm late they'll still charge me even if they were running late themselves. Fucking racket. Soviets. 

[Valmy]

Doctors in HK generally take in about twice or three times the number of patients as they should.  Appointment times are always "indicative" only. 

I figured I was joking with you

But mainly understand that despite what that article may say American Doctors want to get you in and out as soon as they can so they can see more patients.  These discussions on child safety are usually very short.

[Valmy]

I don't know about the slopes, but the only time I've been received as scheduled to an appointment was the time I was rushed into surgery.

Last time I went to the doctor for a scheduled appointment, I had to spend an hour in his waiting room (15 minutes early, he was 45 minutes late) and it's typically the same thing at the dentist. Of course, if I'm late they'll still charge me even if they were running late themselves. Fucking racket. Soviets. 

Wow that is outrageous.  I hope they at least have a TV and decent magazines in the waiting room.

[Ed Anger]

I don't know about the slopes, but the only time I've been received as scheduled to an appointment was the time I was rushed into surgery.

Last time I went to the doctor for a scheduled appointment, I had to spend an hour in his waiting room (15 minutes early, he was 45 minutes late) and it's typically the same thing at the dentist. Of course, if I'm late they'll still charge me even if they were running late themselves. Fucking racket. Soviets. 

Wow that is outrageous.  I hope they at least have a TV and decent magazines in the waiting room.

2 copies of Highlights. From 2002.