at my recent bizarre health visitor appointment!

[ilikeyoursleeves]

I got a visit from our new health visitor today, for a review appointment for my DS's and to meet her. DS2 is 20 months and DS1 is 3.5 years old. They look very similar facially but are obviously very different in height and physical ability.

So she came in, had never met my boys before, and started referring to 'the twins'. I wondered who she was on about, then she said 'oh isn't he talking well, he talks in sentences and everything!' referring to DS1. 'He's really great for a 2 year old!'.

So I said 'Ummmm, he's 3.5 years?'. She said , 'oh I thought they were twins!'. Me- 'Ummmmm, they are very different sizes, not very twin like eh?' (or words to that effect).

She hadn't even read their files before she came! Bizarre appointment, especially as someone who works with kids day in day out could make such a fundamental error...

AIBU to think this was a tad unprofessional?

Why do HVs visit families when children are older than about 6 months? I don't understand

LessNarkyPuffin - I did this: notified them that I didn't want any more contact with them. The most senior HV rang up to ask what they'd done to offend me. It took a good while before she would accept my statement that we simply didn't need their services so wanted to free them up for families who did. The only slightly ridiculous moment was ...

HV: "What are you going to do when you've got questions about your children's health and development? That's what we're here for."
(long awkward pause ... she knows DH and I are a GP and developmental psychologist respectively)
Me: We'll, um, call you if we need you. Honest.

Now if only I could get the PCT to stop sending us vaccine reminders, with handy pre-booked appointments right in the middle of my working day ... for jabs DD has already had.

I had the same HV with both DS's & OMG was she hopeless! Not only did you have to tell her everything at least three times but she didn't really seem to know that much about babies or children at all

The last time she visited we had a fifteen minute conversation about my bedding plants & then she left because DS2 was asleep. Thankfully she is no longer in this area, so am hoping for a little better when DC3 comes along this summer

My health visitor was brilliant. She really gave me confidence and knew when to push and when to step back. Empathetic and firm.

My HV was great. My midwife, on the other hand, asked me if my boy/girl twins were identical.

She didn't even realise her mistake until I actually pointed it out to her.

My HV was amazing, and really helped me through my PND and exH's affairs. There were times when I wanted to hug her.

We have a different one now since we moved, who is also brilliant, and although my children are now 5 & 8, I know I can go and see her about anything at all. Not that I do, but the option is there.

My mother has six kids of her own. Be surprised then, FabbyChic.

Exactly Sleepingonthebus. You wanted one and benefited from their time. Those of us who don't want them/don't want them after 6 months would be better to just say so and leave them to concentrate on those that do.

(Glad some people have had good HV experiences! If I only had my own to go by, I too might be ranting generalizations about them based on one experience)

Oh - and not London, sorry! I know there is at least one good health visitor in the central Midlands!

My HV was great when DS was born. When we had trouble settling him, she came for a home visit and helped us out with some hints and tips (which worked - hooray!).

But she dropped me like a hot potato when I told her DH was ill with cancer and subsequently died (DS only 7 months old). Surely, that is when I would need help/support the most (also considering she knew my family live on the other side of the world?).

Never heard from her again.

I have never had contact with a HV that did not leave me rolling my eyes/wondering who conducted her brain bypass/vowing to avoid them in future. There may be a good one out there. If so, could she please make herself known.

My last app with my HV was terrible!
She got DS age wrong on his chart, told me he was underweight and to feed him buttery toast, creamed mash and cows milk - HE WAS 5 MONTHS OLD.

I was horrified. I didn't notice till I got home and checked that she'd put him down as 7 months. Even still, cows milk at 7 months... thought you had to wait a year?

We have a porch with a sliding door and then an interior front door IYSWIM. When the HV visits, instead of opening the porch door to knock on the front door (there is no bell), she stands outside the porch door and wonders why we can't hear her knocking.

can't comment on whether her professional abilities are up to scratch or not. She seems ok but I'm always astounded by why she didn't knock on front door.

My first HV kept referring to DD as 'it' I was seething.

My HV is great and I have had extended programme thingy as I have PTSD. I can't fault her. She has been supportive, great with my DS and helped me sort out stuff with therapists and get things moving when I wasn't sure what I could do.