Doctor visits and privacy with preteens and teens

[Anonymous]

Do you all go in with your children for their appointments? Recently, my son asked for me, mom, to wait outside for the private part exam at the end. I obliged my son and of course want him to feel the most comfortable. But I’m hindsight I kinda wish I asked a nurse or other medical personal to be in the room so it wasn’t just my son and his doctor. What do other people do?

[Anonymous]

Op here. Dr was female if that makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

From 14 on there was always some time without me. Never concerned me.

[Anonymous]

I've always gone in with my kids, until they say "You don't have to come in with me." It seems to depend on the kid and which doctor. I like to pay at the dentist before the kids have finished their cleaning so I leave them in there to go pay if they're cool with it. If they're not, I'll stay with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you all go in with your children for their appointments? Recently, my son asked for me, mom, to wait outside for the private part exam at the end. I obliged my son and of course want him to feel the most comfortable. But I’m hindsight I kinda wish I asked a nurse or other medical personal to be in the room so it wasn’t just my son and his doctor. What do other people do?

I took my 15 yr. old son for a sports check up and the doctor asked my son if he wanted me to stay for the private part of the exam. He said he didn't care I was in the room.

After the exam, the doctor asked me to leave the room so she could talk to him privately. My heart hurt just a bit.

[Anonymous]

I was asked to leave the physical this year too. Ds is 15.

In addition to looking at his private parts which parents don't need to see.. they ask him if hes sexually active and other questions that they might lie about if parent is in the room.

[Anonymous]

My 16 yr old has never cared. I told him if he wanted, I could stay outside but he said it was fine if I stayed.

[Anonymous]

Our practice takes kids back alone starting at 13, then has parent join in after asking them if there’s anything they want to discuss without parent.

[Anonymous]

Starting around age 13, I left the exam room before the doctor examined my kids. I returned at the end to get any information I might need. By 16, I stayed in the waiting room the entire time unless the doctor asked to speak to me. This was for routine visits or mild illness. Anything more serious, and of course I stayed.

[Anonymous]

Weird

[Anonymous]

I think it was around age 12 (maybe 11?) for both my boys and girls when the doctor would ask me to step out of the room the last few minutes of the appointment. However, at the practice my kids went to, my daughter saw a female Ped and a nurse always went in the room as I left. Likewise, my son saw a male Ped and a male nurse went in when I would leave. I thought that was just standard to have another party present when the doctor was alone.

I mean, even when I have GYN appointments, there's always a nurse present during the exam.

[Anonymous]

My entire family sees the same doctor at a family practice. When DS was old enough for the testicular exam, the dr asked me to step outside for a few seconds since DS might be more comfortable. I’ve done so ever since. It really is less than 30 seconds. For the last annual exam, I asked him if he wanted me in there at all since he’s getting older. He said “why wouldn’t you come in?” So I went.

I’ve been in all of DD’s exams for all doctors, but she has not gone to a gynecologist yet.

[Anonymous]

^no, no nurse in the room with DS and the doctor. I’m okay with that.

[Anonymous]

At 13, ped asked if he wanted me to stay (he said he didn’t care; I think I stayed?). At 14 she asked me to leave and it was just the two of them. Same at 15. Son is fine with it.

[Anonymous]

My son doesn't car so we go in. I wouldn't be comfortable with a child alone. I went to the ER once and they insisted on a breast exam when it had nothing to do with that and I was too sick/understand to say no.