Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My boys at 12 felt uncomfortable having a female doctor checking the private parts. We changed to a male doctor.

Same here. My son, um, rose to attention, the last time a female doctor checked his privates and was so embarrassed that he refused to go back to the doctor unless it was a man. A couple years later he realized it wasn't a big deal and decided to switch back, but those early puberty years are rough.

I wish boys realized that this is something that happens all the time. I'm a family nurse practitioner (so I examine both kids and adults) and it happens with males of all ages, It's not anything sexual, it's just a natural reaction to touch.

I either ignore it completely or make a joke about how "it's good to know everything's working properly" depending on the patient. I promise that we've already forgotten it happened by the time the patient walks out the door.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS’ female nurse practitioner (family practice, he’s never gone to a pediatrician) has never felt his genitals. I’m surprised it seems so standard. He’s 15 and is fine with a female NP. It never occurred to me he wouldn’t be.

I never had this, either, that I remember, but I grew up under Tricare and so you had to take the initiative to schedule annual checkups. We didn't really go unless we were sick, or needed a school or sports physical. In any case, I don't remember any testicular or hernia exams until I was an adult in my 20s.

Tricare didn’t encourage any yearly checkup? That’s a huge disservice to their patients.

A yearly wellness visit is essential to anyone, if only to check vitals and most importantly: have the opportunity to bring up any possible issues with a care provider.

Something apparently small or meaningless could be a symptom of a major disease. But only a professional can make that call. And only if you go.

I could call up my mom and ask why she was so negligent in this area. On the other hand, we've always taken our kids, and I don't know that regular checkups are all that important or helpful.

Let your kid lead. If they don’t have an issue, it’s fine. If they ask to switch, switch. Are all the doctors really established? I see a lot of transition in oractices so unless the practice is specifically only women doctors, there may be a man later. Or the docs there now may leave.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS’ female nurse practitioner (family practice, he’s never gone to a pediatrician) has never felt his genitals. I’m surprised it seems so standard. He’s 15 and is fine with a female NP. It never occurred to me he wouldn’t be.

I never had this, either, that I remember, but I grew up under Tricare and so you had to take the initiative to schedule annual checkups. We didn't really go unless we were sick, or needed a school or sports physical. In any case, I don't remember any testicular or hernia exams until I was an adult in my 20s.

Tricare didn’t encourage any yearly checkup? That’s a huge disservice to their patients.

A yearly wellness visit is essential to anyone, if only to check vitals and most importantly: have the opportunity to bring up any possible issues with a care provider.

Something apparently small or meaningless could be a symptom of a major disease. But only a professional can make that call. And only if you go.

Anonymous wrote:My DS's pedestrian is a lady. He had a problem with his foreskin and he trusted her to take a look and recommend a surgeon. And he is a pretty modest kid who did not even show a picture of his problem to my DH or to me.

What was the problem with the foreskin that required a surgeon?

Female doctors have been so much more knowledgeable and understandable about foreskin that any male doctor, in our experience. But surgery?

Show him the video linked earlier in the thread, or this: https://www.archerfriendly.com/2015/06/turn-your-head-and-cough-a-teenagers-nightmare

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least he won’t have to endure the dreaded prostate exam until his 30s or 40s

I just had my first one. It's so not a big deal.

Male or female Dr. ?

Male.

Just try explaining the accidental “rose to attention” under those circumstances.

There's no explaining. It happens with my male derm, I've just gotten used to it.

Anonymous wrote:My DS’ female nurse practitioner (family practice, he’s never gone to a pediatrician) has never felt his genitals. I’m surprised it seems so standard. He’s 15 and is fine with a female NP. It never occurred to me he wouldn’t be.

I never had this, either, that I remember, but I grew up under Tricare and so you had to take the initiative to schedule annual checkups. We didn't really go unless we were sick, or needed a school or sports physical. In any case, I don't remember any testicular or hernia exams until I was an adult in my 20s.

My son and daughter (thirteen year old twins) both see the same female pediatrician and I asked them both about it at breakfast this morning. My daughter said that she's glad I take them to a woman because she would be uncomfortable if it was a man, and my son said he didn't care because "it's embarrassing either way."

I think it's a good idea for all siblings to have the same doctor, that way they can really get to know the family and also you can schedule appointments for both kids together, so I think a woman doctor is the best option because girls tend to prefer it and boys tend to not care either way.

Anonymous wrote:Are parents still require to be in the room when the boy turns 16? 17?

I personally think our female doctor is aware or notices any big changes in our son as he grows. Not just physical changes but the behavioral changes that parents might not pick up on. She mentions things we have questions about. Yes, they do take notes on what our discussions are about but she seem to mention things that I never thought she would bring up again. Perhaps she is just a good note taker.

My son is 14 and I left for that part of the exam when he started having it. Each year, I’m out of the room for longer in general. It’s not just the physical exam, they talk about whatever is on the schedule for the year and I sit in the wait room. I would go in for the entire thing or let my son go in by himself for the entire appointment. It’s up to him. I don’t know if there is an age parents are required to be there for the entire thing, but it’s certainly not past 12. I leave it up to my son and do whatever he wants.