Beads and Balls

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Leo loves beads. Loves them. Especially if they are on strings, and he can rub them in his hands and make them click and clack.

So imagine his delight upon walking into a specialist's office and finding a lovely looped string of beads waiting beside the examination table! He was in heaven. And the doctor was nice, she didn't make him stop playing with them during the exam unless she needed his specific attention -- until the end of the exam, when she said she actually needed the beads, because they were in fact a medical tool. One I'd never heard of: an orchidometer. It's used to estimate testicle size, to determine developmental stage among other matters. In Leo's case, to evaluate whether or not he's officially in puberty

Leo has been seeing a lot of specialists right now. Some due to the seizures & anaphylactic reaction a few months back, others because he had a big reaction to some bug bites at the beginning of last month and we're still trying to figure that out too.

But mostly, he's seeing specialists because we're lucky -- Leo's pediatrician is an awesome doctor who wants to ensure that -- since Leo can't always tell us what's up and how he's feeling -- everything of his is working and developing the way it should. This is especially important as puberty looms, what with our boy being twelve and all.

And as it turns out, the specialists have found a few things that need attention, such as monitoring the amount of sugar in his diet. So all these medical office visits have been a good thing. And have led to the discovery of new playthings.

I wonder where we can get an orchidometer for Leo's personal use? Those were some excellent beads.