Hey Gang!
Hope everyone and everything is well. I´ve been asked to put my 2 cents in on this one, so, here goes.
It sounds to me like some of us are hitting an unnecessary parental panic button here. Kids who have their temps taken rectally react from three spheres. The emotional, psychological, and physical, whatever the reaction may be.
From the emotional, the child may just be wanting to please the parents or care giver and show that they are well behaved and compliant, while knowing that PERHAPS they´re friends, or even their siblings, aren´t. Think of it as scoring brownie points. (Excuse any perceived pun!)
From the psychological, particularly with young adolescents or tweens, they want to show that they are mature enough to understand, even through any embarrassment, real or perceived that this procedure is ¨good¨ for them and they do not see the need to put up a fuss. I have noticed this more often than not in my practice and this ¨type¨, as soon as they see the thermometer, respond without instruction, pants down, or skirt up, and on their side or tummy. They make the statement, ¨See how mature I am¨, by their actions rather than by words. At other times, I have noticed on a lesser scale when a child is told that it´s time for a temperature to be taken, they will simply respond with, a finger pointed toward the tush, or merely with the word words, ¨Rectally?¨ or in the case of younger kids, ¨In my tushy?¨, and comply. It is their way of confirming, ¨I can handle it. I´m a big girl/boy¨.
From the physical sphere we as adults need to realize that the area involved is one that holds an immense amount of nerve centers and it is unavoidable that those nerve centers be stimulated, for better or worse. Whether the sensation received by the ¨patient¨ is pleasurable or not, that varies with the child. However, like anything else in life, a child will be more prone to wanting to engage in something that brings physical (or emotional) pleasure than those things that do not.
In a simpler summary, the fact that a child does not fuss or even asks for, or has the expectation that their temperature is to be taken, knowingly rectally, or requesting it be taken rectally (for accuracy, because they know it´s the best, because that´s how Mommy does it, because that´s how the Dr or Nurse does it) is not an indication of sexual pleasure nor fetishism. It can be nothing more than wanting to gain the approval and acceptance of the adults involved.
I think many parents can get carried away and overly concerned about this and related procedures because of our own self discoveries and experiences. Perhaps asking the child, ¨You are so good about having your temperature taken (and, or other procedure)! Do you like it when mommy or daddy (doctor, nurse, etc.) takes your temperature? Why?¨ Of course adjusting the verbiage and tone for age appropriateness will help. But, like anything else between Moms, Dads, and kids, sometimes the best way to approach things is openly. Don´t let a child who is cooperative about rectal temps and the like believe that they must hide their feelings. Discuss them openly, answer any questions that may come up, age appropriately, and keep things above board. Don´t make them feel that have their temp taken rectally (getting a suppository or an enema, etc.) is violating any taboos.
Perhaps most importantly, let´s remember one of the few quotes of Freud that I happen to think is accurate, and that I enjoy.
¨Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar¨!