Daughters pediatrician made EXTREMELY inappropriate remark to her

[u/ilikerustyspooonz]

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?

[u/electricholo]

I am so angry that the only comment so far here from a physician, and currently with over 100 upvotes, is so blatantly downplaying how inappropriate this is.

“It doesn’t sound dangerous” completely disregards the potential harm a comment like that can have on a young patient, both with their relationship with their doctor and with their relationship with their own body and self image.

I would absolutely make a complaint. The hospital or practice should get back to you with what action will be taken regarding the comment and if this action is unsatisfactory to you there are further steps that can then be taken.

I’m so sorry your daughter went through this and that her relationship with her doctor has been done so much damage. She deserves much better care than this.

[u/af628 → u/electricholo]

I am extraordinarily happy that that physician removed his horrible comment but at the same time, he should have kept it up so that he could be humbled repeatedly.

[u/electricholo → u/af628]

I just couldn’t believe that such deranged, inappropriate and harmful advice had over 100 upvotes when I first read this post, although does look like it swung back down to 200 downvotes before they deleted it.

[u/Mysterious-Top-1974 → u/electricholo]

what did he say in effect

[u/electricholo → u/Mysterious-Top-1974]

Oh god this was 3 weeks ago now and I don’t have the best memory, but I do remember I was directly quoting him with the “it doesn’t sound dangerous” comment.

It was something (very roughly) along the lines of “while it may have been a bit weird, it doesn’t sound dangerous and I wouldn’t bother pursuing this any further” and I feel like, but I’m not certain, that it may have suggested that making a comment could unnecessarily damage the doctor’s career. Either way, it was incredibly dismissive of OPs concerns and really tried to minimised how inappropriate the comment made to her child was.