OET Listening Teil A: Concern About Daughter's Health

Hello. Mrs Black, isn't it?

I believe it's your first time with this clinic.

Yes, we've just moved to the area, so we're looking for a new GP.

Right then.

So, how can I help you today?

Oh well, I'm actually a bit worried about our daughter, Mia.

She's 15 now.

She's always been very healthy,

but recently she's gotten very thin and I'm worried that it might be anorexia.

Okay, I see.

Can you tell me a little bit more about Mia?

Well, she always used to eat with the family,

but lately she says she hasn't got time to eat with us because she's too busy,

or she takes her plate into her room and eats in there.

She skips breakfast a lot as well,

or just has a glass of juice, a couple of bites of toast,

before she's out the door and off to school.

It all started late last year, but I'm not really sure what triggered the change.

And what about school?

How's that going?

She's a good student, gets high marks in most exams.

Her teachers have always said she's a quiet girl, but she works hard.

Now that I think of it, her maths teacher told us at a recent parent-teacher interview

that lately she seems to be having trouble concentrating in class.

He said that she was never like that before,

and he wondered if we could think of any reason why it might be happening now.

I see.

She doesn't have many friends, just one or two girls she's close with.

She's always been a bit shy and reserved.

She doesn't have a boyfriend and we wouldn't allow it at her age anyway.

After school she does ballet, which she loves,

but apart from that she tends to spend a lot of her time lying around the house, usually in her room.

Hmm, and what about her weight?

You said she'd become quite thin.

Yes, she really has.

I've tried talking to her about it, but of course she won't tell me how much.

Her clothes don't seem to fit her properly anymore though.

They just hang off her like sacks.

She seems obsessed about her appearance lately too.

I always catch her standing in front of the mirror.

I don't think she's sleeping very well either.

She stays up very late at night, reading or playing around on her phone,

and then of course she'll be tired and moody in the morning.

Anything else you can tell me about Mia?

Oh yes, she seems to have been getting a lot of headaches lately.

I can't remember her really having them before,

and I found a box of laxatives in her room.

I even think she's been throwing up, but she denies it of course,

so that's a big concern for her father and me too.

So what do you think doctor?

From what I've told you, do you think Mia has anorexia?

Well, without meeting Mia and assessing her, which I think I will need to do,

it's hard to make that judgment.

However, I can give you some information about anorexia,

and then I think we need to arrange for me to see your daughter sooner rather than later.

Okay, I understand.

Anything you can tell me, any advice you have, would be very helpful.

We've tried talking to her to see if she's alright,

but she's very sensitive about it all.

The moment we mention anything, she gets very upset.

I know it's difficult, but there are some options available.

If we think it's necessary, we may even have to consider referral to a psychiatrist.