Huh?

One of my patients today was a little girl, barely 2 years old. She was in for a cough but on the way out, her mother asked me about night waking. She said the little girl has a 'very bad habit' of waking in the middle of the night and asking for water. If her mother says no, she cries and cries and cries and wakes the rest of the family.

I asked what happens if she gets a drink of water. The mother said she goes back to sleep. I stared at her, trying not to look like I thought that was an obvious answer and that I thought she was not very bright.

Then the mother said she can't keep getting up to get water. And then she changed her story. She said the little girl doesn't go back to sleep after a drink of water. She asks repeatedly for more water every 15 minutes. I'm not buying that.

But really, what's the problem with giving the girl a sippy cup of water to keep in the crib? She can drink all she needs and not wake anyone. I just don't get some people.