I don't think Patsy using the term "that child" signifies anything. I, like other posters, have heard it used numerous times, being used by both mothers and fathers who love their children immensely, who are not using the words in an effort to "distance" themselves from the child. In my experience, it is mainly used when one is discussing the child to someone who doesn't personally know the child. That's all. One can THINK that it would only be used to "distance" themselves from the particular child spoken about, but here we have posters who say that isn't the case, and that it is used in many instances that basically proves it isn't necessarily akin to "distancing". Therefore, IMO, the fact that the phrase is and has been used before by others when NOT trying to "distance", makes the fact that Patsy said it completely irrelevant.