Rosalind Ekman Ladd

Guidelines for Research

“Is this Dr. Stickman? This is Mrs. Osgood. I’m chairperson of the school committee. We have something we’d like to ask your advice about.”

Research as Therapy

“Now that you know that it’s acute leukemia, you have to decide where you want to take your son for treatment.”

Changing a Lifestyle

“You can go home tomorrow, Ted. But we need to talk first. You’ve not been taking care of yourself.”

“Ordering Up” Medical Care

“Well, it’s an unusual request It’s true that Dennis is small. He’s in the 5th percentile, but we have found no metabolic abnormality. Generally growth hormone isn’t prescribed unless there is abnormality. It has its dangers and I’m not sure I’d feel right giving it to Dennis.”

Adolescent Age-Specific Values

“Out of the question! I won’t wear a brace. I’ll do the electrical stuff at night and anything else you want, but no brace.”

Telling the Child

“Listen to me, and pass it on to all the doctors and nurses and everyone around here: You’re not to tell Franklin the name of his disease and you’re not to tell him it’s fatal.”

“Volunteering” Well Children

“I’ll take just a minute of your time, doctor. I represent the Dandy Diaper Co., and we’re lining up a number of pediatricians in town who are willing to enlist parents of their infant patients to take part in a study of the toxicity and effectiveness of a new kind of diaper. It’s impregnated with a new compound that we hope will decrease the incidence of severe diaper rash. The parents will be given free diapers plus a small monetary sum weekly in exchange for using our diapers regularly and keeping a record of rashes. The pediatricians will be given payment for their time and effort, of course. They will keep records and examine and treat any serious rashes that occur, and their names will be listed on any scientific publications that result.”

When Doctors Disagree

“I think immediate amputation is needed to be sure that all the disease is removed and to guard against any possible late effects. This kind of tumor is nothing to fool around with.”

Students, Residents, and Credibility

“Hi. I’m Faith Goodale. I am working with Dr. Creamer here in her office this month. She has asked me to see Henry and give him his weekly allergy shot. How has he been this week?”

Considering Quality of Life

“Doctor, you look surprised that I’m asking if Inez’s respirator can be turned off. Look, what kind of life does she have? She’s 5 years old and has been in the hospital most of the time. She can’t eat normally, and because of the dysfunctional bowel problem, even tube feedings don’t work. So, she needs a central line, and it keeps coming out and has to be replaced surgically. She can’t breathe properly, so she has that tracheostomy, which needs aspiration several times a day, and she struggles against that. Even though her mental age is only 2 or 3 months, I know she feels things. Sometimes I think I see her smile a little bit, but most of the time I think she’s feeling pain.”