Once upon a Tuesday morning in my clinic, I was meeting Timmy for the second time .
Timmy, a delightful bundle of energy, had been suspected of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by his therapist. Thus, the therapist suggested that his mother seek a professional evaluation from a pediatrician.
After considering the feedback from Timmy’s mother, his speech therapists and behavioural therapist and clinical assessments, Timmy had Developmental Language Disorders(DLD), along with coexisting social-emotional challenges.
As our session came to an end, Timmy, with a grin that could rival a sunrise, catapulted himself towards me for a goodbye hug.
Now, this was nothing out of the ordinary – I often received affectionate goodbye hugs from lovely little patients.
As I leaned forward from my chair to accept the customary hug, I suddenly felt a peculiar warm sensation inching closer and closer to my face.
Timmy’s face was advancing rapidly approaching mine, with his lips parted and turned inside out, like a missile homing in on its unsuspected target.
Before I could fully decipher the situation, it dawned on me- he was aiming for a kiss – not on the cheek, mind you, but right on the lips!
Swiftly, I turned my head to the left, pointing to my right cheek and said “ Here !”.
Yet ,Timmy , committed to his original plan, continued his approach.
A gentle push on his shoulders and redirection towards my right cheek became my last line of defense.
At last, a swift gentle kiss landed on my right cheek.
His mom, witnessing the “ delightful” chaos ,chuckled, the kind of laughter that only a parent with a child like Timmy could muster.
“Oh, that’s just Timmy being Timmy! He loves giving surprise kisses, on the lips!.”
I must admit, I was caught off guard, and a laugh escaped me.
I blurted :”Timmy , there are only 2 persons you can kiss on the lips, your girl friend and your wife.”.
Then , A realization hit me like a ton of bricks; standing before me was merely a 6 year old boy.
Timmy, unfazed by my remark , stared at me innocently.
In the midst of the adorable chaos, I turned to Timmy’s mom, struggling to regain composure.
“We are not sure what to do about it. We never kiss him on his lips. We are quite worried about this as well,” Timmy’s mom uttered.
“You might want to bring this up with Timmy’s therapist. We need to teach Timmy about social boundaries , expected and unexpected behaviours……”
“My suggestions are to use Social Thinking and Social Stories methods to teach this concept to Timmy.”
“He is still young and adorable now, perhaps not attracting much attention from others. However, if this behaviour continues as he grows older, the consequences could be unimaginable… “
I suggested with a serious tone, attempting to mask the shock after the unexpected kiss evasion.
Timmy’s mom nodded. “Oh, we will, doc. Looks like we’ve got a lot to discuss with the therapist!”
And with that, Timmy and his mom made their exit, leaving me exhaling a sigh of relief .
While completing my clinical notes , my clinic nurse who was tidying up and cleaning the toys , chimed in with a grin : “ Bahaya tu !”
“ Tulah!” I responded , frowning while squeezing out a reluctant smile .
“ Can this be considered an occupational hazard ? “ I pondered.
The comical chaos of Timmy’s unexpected smooch lingering in the air like a mischievous melody.