Divya Raman

Diagnosis: Toddler's antics contagious

Divya Raman had an orderly, stylish life. She was an interior designer at perhaps the most posh design firm in town. Her husband, Shekar, is a physician and their home reflected their cosmopolitan tastes and style.

Then along came Rohan, the couple’s first child, and the world changed forever. Every time he does or says something new, Divya laughs.

“It brings so much joy to our lives,” she said.

On a trip to the pediatrician, Rohan, age 2, told the doctor to “take your stethoscope and listen to my heart and check my temperature with your thermometer.” His parents looked at each other, stunned.

“Where did you learn that?” they asked.

Rohan puts together words and makes long sentences that are a source of endless amusement to his parents. He LIKES timeouts. He will misbehave on purpose and then punish himself by going to the corner for a timeout.

“So now we have to figure out how to punish him,” Divya said. “We’re thinking, ‘OK, go to your room and play with your toys.’”

Rohan now is adjusting to a month-old baby brother.

“We had the new baby and he was up all night crying, and Rohan was disturbed by it and he was waking up and crying,” Divya said. “This went on all night, and he fell asleep about 6 o'clock and woke up around 8. He looks at me and goes, ‘Mommy, did you sleep well?’

“I just burst out laughing because I didn’t know what else to do.”

— Susan Harman

Iowa City Press-Citizen -- March 12, 2009