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Paediatric orthopaedic surgeon Arjandas Mahadev tells POON CHIAN HUI he believes happy children tend to recover faster
 I decided to specialise in paediatric orthopaedic surgery because...
I enjoy working with children. So, I go to work happy and leave work knowing I am doing something I am really passionate about. In fact, it hardly feels like work.
Our bones are fascinating because...
Of their ability to heal completely to their original state at any age – which is unlike many other tissues such as nerves and muscle.
Another fascinating point: While bones can be as strong as concrete, they are dynamic and alive at the same time.
If I were to give an analogy for what I do, I would be...
A “shepherd” for bone healing and growth. Paediatric orthopaedic surgeons gently guide the bone’s growth and healing, which may otherwise go haywire, in children.
The healing itself is done by the child. We merely guide or shepherd the process.
I have come across all types of cases...
I have seen numerous bone fractures in children. Yet, I am still seeing certain thingsfor the first time. It is these challenges that make my day more interesting.
A typical day for me would be...
I take a 15-minute walk to work as I do not own a car. The day starts with discussions with colleagues on the ongoing clinical management of our patients. We all have breakfast together before we settle into our areas of work.
I operate once a week. The rest of the week is spent seeing patients in the clinics. Teaching medical students and trainee doctors also occupies a major part of my day.
The work day ends with a review of patients who have had surgery earlier in the day as well as cases in which there are new developments.
After work, if I am not on emergency duty, I train with the National University of Singapore biathlon team twice a week. I also go to the gym twice a week.
On weekends, I go to Tanjung Beach for a morning swim followed by a 10km run. In the evenings, I may surprise my unsuspecting friends with home-cooked meals. Cooking is another of my passions.
I love patients who are...
Aware of the positive side of every situation. In my opinion, the optimists seem to recover better. Perhaps that is why younger kids tend to heal better – they are inherently happy.
Patients who get my goat are...
Actually, I do not remember any of my patients getting my goat. Their parents, however, can sometimes be challenging. However, it is understandable as an injury to a child can be very stressful for the whole family.
One little known fact about fractures is...
Bones are, to a certain extent, designed to correct themselves when broken. They can go from a crooked alignment to normal or near-normal on their own, based on the forces working on them. This is more pronounced in fractures in areas such as the collar bone and thigh bone and also in young children as their bone growth plates are not fully fused yet.
Things that put a smile on my face are...
Seeing very young patients getting well despite having been very ill. It is great to see the little troupers beat the odds.
It breaks my heart when...
I see a child who has to undergo chemotherapy for bone cancer. Such children seemed to have been forced to grow up much faster than their peers, all because of disease.
I would not trade places for the world because...
I am exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I am passionate about.
My best tip...
A happy child who plays a lot is the best indicator of a healthy child, bones and all.
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