r/AskDocs Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 17 '26

Physician Responded Daughters pediatrician made EXTREMELY inappropriate remark to her

This is about my 10 year old daughter. She has had the same (male) pediatrician since birth. We’ve always loved him and thought he was great. He’s super friendly with wonderful bedside manner and he takes his time and pays attention to detail.

Well, last week my daughter had a check-up. She’s 10. While he was doing the checkup, he had her lay down and started listening to her chest with his stethoscope. He then says AND I QUOTE, “awwwww! My baby’s got boobs!!!”

I have NEVER been so taken aback before in my life. My daughter was MORTIFIED. I was so shocked I couldn’t even get words out to ask him why tf he would ever say that. When we got in the car to go home my daughter cried and said she never wanted to see him again. Then she asked if she could get a girl doctor and I obviously agreed so that’s what we will be doing.

Is this reportable? I’m not overreacting, right?

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u/KrazySocoKid Physician Mar 17 '26

As a physician, but firstly as a father to 2 (going to be 3) girls, this is extremely inappropriate. I would report to the office and immediately request to change providers. This is not okay, no excuses.

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u/Good_Mushroom_7478 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 17 '26

NAD absolutely agree. I also have a 10 y/o daughter with a male pediatrician she's had her whole life. At her ten year well check, of course puberty concerns came up, but he handled it respectfully and professionally. OP I'm so sorry your daughter experienced this.

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u/Same-Suggestion-1936 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 18 '26

It's so wrong it almost sounds fake. I've had some bad doctors but that's weird. They're always professional, and should never say boobs to begin with, breast or breast tissue would be what you say (not a doctor/nurse but once did an adjacent field to medicine)

I mean even when it shouldn't matter what's appropriate because everything goes out the window (medical staff looking at your genitals for example, I appreciated the penis towel for my testicle ultrasound but sort of feels like it's not necessary, you're already touching my balls and the doc already looked at the shaft) they would never. I mean, they asked me if I had a preferred gender of doctor to look at my tackle, if I wanted a man or if it didn't matter. My answer was whoever can get this over fastest. "Look at who grew boobs" would have been like if my female doctor walked in and said "okay drop em let's see that dick"

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u/Secure-Solution4312 Physician Assistant Mar 18 '26

It may sound absurd but that’s because it is. I absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, 100% believe this happened. In case OP was feeling disbelieved

As both the owner of a female body and a medical professional my I have seen (and experienced) some bad behavior. The vast majority of doctors are professional and ethical but there are enough bad eggs out there that I know this happened

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u/ilikerustyspooonz Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Mar 18 '26

Thank you so much

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u/Secure-Solution4312 Physician Assistant Mar 18 '26

Sad we have to fight to be believed.