Very interesting Bostonian. In my family of origin my mother considered the skills of researching before doctoring to be essential as well as bringing an apt advocate when you were too incapacitated to do it yourself.
Our experiences have validated the importance of this as we have often sought variations in our treatment and more quickly found answers that have improved our outcomes. Frankly, you do receive better care in hospitals and nursing homes if someone intelligent is there with you checking on things.
My eldest brother finished Med school at 23 and gave us a medical diagnostic book when I was 10. It fascinated me and I soon became the family diagnostician in the younger group. (I am one of eight children.) Because of that book and my urging, my older sister made it to the hospital before her appendix ruptured--my mother had thought she was exaggerating as she was prone to do. It did burst just before surgery but it could have been worse. I also diagnosed correctly my younger brother's Crohn's disease when he was 13 among other things.
I generally find it interesting that the demographic with concerns and making alternative choices with regards to vaccines and hospital-based childbirth is most often highly educated and likely higher g. The connection with longer breastfeeding and higher IQ interests me as well. I've found in my small group of friends with higher LOG kids that most went well beyond the average 6-9months that other around us were doing... Personally my son was 3.5yrs old when he stopped.
