Dr. (Ped.) Exam w/wo clothing?

[buzzlady]

I took DS8 to Ped. yesterday for yearly check up. The Dr. did the entire exam while my DS had his clothes on. Is this something new? I always remember them having to "strip" to their underware.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I haven't a clue, but I was wondering if it's a regional thing. In FL every doctor leaves the patient dressed...from what I've experienced as well as DS. When they listened to my heart and lungs THROUGH MY SHIRT, I really wondered! They've even put the bp cuff on over a sleeve.

 

[buzzlady]

Originally posted by Pin Wizard
When they listened to my heart and lungs THROUGH MY SHIRT, I really wondered!

He did the same thing with my DS. I would have thought at least lift his shirt up to listen to his heart/lungs.

 

[dizneenut]

My boys have never had to undress at the Ped. He does listen to their heart under the shirt, though.

 

[coliebird]

For my daughter's well exams, I strip her down to her diaper. When I bring her in for a sick visit, they leave her clothes on and check her breathing over her shirt.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by buzzlady
He did the same thing with my DS. I would have thought at least lift his shirt up to listen to his heart/lungs.

Exactly! We moved to another state a few months ago. I'm happy to say that they had DS strip to the underwear and put on a gown.

 

[alabamaalan]

Actually I was wondering why your pediatrist asked you to remove your clothing!

But that's not what this thread is at all!

Our pediatrician has examined our girls fully clothed since they were toddlers, I think.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

DS10 strips to his undies and puts on a gown. Our ped. is female and she doesn't have my DD8 put on a gown.

Lori

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Sorry! DP

 

[mrsmom]

All my littler kids ds6 and 12 and dd10 all strip down to undies and wear a gown for check ups.
Kim

 

[airhead]

 

[piratesmate]

Originally posted by Pin Wizard
Exactly! We moved to another state a few months ago. I'm happy to say that they had DS strip to the underwear and put on a gown.

WHY?!?!?!? Please don't be offended. I'm sure this seems reasonable to you & many others.

On the other hand, I was absolutely shocked when I found a doctor who was able to listen to my heart through my shirt - once I was an adult & could choose my own doctor! Up to that time, we went to some nut case who got his jollies from making us strip - completely - for EVERY thing!

This was so long ago that my parents never thought to question it. When we did, we were told not to question a doctor.

 

[RadioNate]

Don't be offended my me either but I was sorta wondering the same thing as piratesmate. As a baby my DS was stripped to the diaper but now at 3 he wears clothes. Unless it's a ob/gyn exam or maybe a dermatoligist mole check I certainly expect to stay dressed. I think I'd be really freaked out if the Dr expected me or my child to strip for an exam.

I'm editing to add that before reading the posts I thought this thread was going to be that your child was asked to strip and you thought that was strange. The opposite of what it really was.

 

[m&m's mom]

Fully clothed!

 

[oogieboogie]

when they were babies up to 1 year it was strip to the diaper and even naked. Older than that they went fully clothed.

There's no reason to get undressed. The ped would lift up their shirts to listen to their heart and check the stomach, but other than dermatological issues, why would they need to strip?

 

[froglady]

Underwear.

Our Pediatrician does a skin check (we live in Florida), makes my son bend over to check for scoliosis, and I assume is looking for any unusual marks or bruises...which can be indicative of either abuse, or illness. My daughter's pediatrician LIKED finding shin bruises, and scrapes on elbows and knees...it meant that kids were running around.

He does a quick "peak" under the boxers to make sure things look OK.

 

[mrsltg]

For a full physical you should be stripped of all but your undies. It's a physical! I'd be concerned if my dd's pediatrician didn't have us undress her for her physical. The pediatrician should be looking for unexplained bruises (could be abuse, could be a clumsy kid, could be cancer), moles that may need to be checked by a dermatologist, wounds that aren't healing right, discoloration in the child's skin, a straight spinal column... There are lots of things that a pediatrician can't ascertain through clothing. The point of a physical is to assess to the total physical well-being - hard to do if most of you is under a layer of clothing.

Erin

 

[Christine]

My kids are both fully clothed during exams. They do go under the shirt to listen to the heart, etc. Now, the other thing they do is tell my son that they are going to examine his testicles and they go ahead and do that exam after they warn him. I do remember all the doctor's taking a cursory look at the genital area on both my children (DD and DS). I think that is perfectly acceptable.

I don't necessarily want my kids "stripped down" but I wouldn't mind the doctor examining their skin (my son especially since he has a few moles). My cousin had stage 2 melanoma at 14 so I think they doctors should look beyond the clothing a little bit.

 

[Cthia]

My DD is 9 and she stripped down to her underwear and wore gown for the check-up exam in June. The doctor did have her touch her toes to check her spine. I don't remember her getting undressed last year. I was a bit surprised when the nurse said for her to get undressed down to her underwear. I am always in the room with her.

DD7months is stripped down to the diaper when we go for her check ups.

 

[aprincessmom]

DD (8) strips down to underwear and they put a gown on her.

Our GP does the typical physical stuff -- heart/pulse/blood pressure/lung, the feeling of internal organs by massage (can't imagine how you'd do that with clothes on), a scoliosis check, looks at/tests all the joints (ankles, knees, shoulders, elbows, wrists), checks for moles/freckling/bruising.

There are lots of things that a pediatrician can't ascertain through clothing. The point of a physical is to assess to the total physical well-being - hard to do if most of you is under a layer of clothing.

That's what I was thinking, too.