‘Ring for the paediatric nurse,’ bellows Christine trying to make herself heard over the top of the heartfelt screams of 5 year old Thomas.  Thomas has had 5 teeth removed, and has just woken up in the recovery area spitting blood metaphorically and literally.  We are amazed at his strength as an anaesthetist and 3 nurses’ combined efforts only just manage to stop him from launching himself off the trolley.  I rather pride myself on having a way with children, so on finding Thomas’s favourite teddy bear on the trolley  I confidently approach the angry and frightened child. ‘Look Thomas, it’s Barney bear,’ I say in my most soothing voice.   Thomas fixes me with a glare of stunning malevolence and yells ‘I WANT MY MUMMY’.  Helen, the children’s nurse arrives to a combined sigh of relief, and in seconds Thomas morphs from demon in child form to the embodiment of peaceful angelic vulnerability.