Refusing to undress at the pediatrician

Did a lot of you refuse to undress to your underwear without a gown for a physical with your pediatrician growing up? I used to wish I could but I was afraid to because I presumed it was mandatory. I have heard that lots of pediatricians will be nice enough to let patients keep most clothes on if they refuse to strip to underwear. Any of you have this type of experience?

It wasn't very often that I went to my doctor as a kid that they asked me to undress to my underwear, mostly when I went when I was unwell I just had to take my shirt off and that was it.

Occasionally at the doctors they wanted to do a more general exam and asked me to remove all my clothes except my underwear but I never refused, I just did as the doctor said and stripped down to my briefs.

Not quite at the paediatrician per se, but when I went for follow up exams from my bowel surgery I was always weighed.

From 11 onwards their protocol changed and I was instructed by the nurse to undress for my weight to be taken. I was rather shy and resisted, undressing the bare minimum. It didn't work and on one occasion having left my socks on, the nurse instructed me to remove them - though it probably made little if any difference.

From 11 onwards their protocol changed and I was instructed by the nurse to undress for my weight to be taken. I was rather shy and resisted, undressing the bare minimum. It didn't work and on one occasion having left my socks on, the nurse instructed me to remove them - though it probably made little if any difference.

By undress do you mean they wanted you to be completely nude or just in your underwear?

For most pediatricians I saw growing up, it was gownless in underwear, but I imagine that too many kids complained about it and ended up kicking and screaming so as a result, even some older doctors had to give up making kids undress to underwear later on in their careers.

By undress do you mean they wanted you to be completely nude or just in your underwear?

Underwear (underpants and vest).

Underwear (underpants and vest).

Slightly different to me then. When I went to the doctors when I was unwell I had to take both my shirt and my vest off and for the more general exam I described below, I was down to my briefs from the start.

The only exam I had when I got to keep my vest on was in infant school when I was seven when we were stripped down to out briefs and vests, and only had to lift our vest when being auscultated.

No....I generally never refused to initially strip down to vest / pants. There is a similar thread (very recent) about refusing to undress for 'the doctor'. You can read my full account there. In brief summary I did once refuse (out of terror) to strip for the school doctor as I was genuinely terrified about removing my school blazer without the HMs permission. The day before my medical he had severely caned one of my classmates for taking off his blazer!!! In my case, sheer terror overcame rational thought!!

I never refused to undress to my underpants, but I can remember complaining about it after the nurse left the room to my mother. Only to be told not to make a fuss and do as I was told.

I dreaded and hated having to undress, but didn't make a fuss for a number of reasons, at least not in the exam room.

As JoeSag said, he presumed it was mandatory. Plus in my case I was old enough to see the logic that I would need to be naked as examination of my penis and testes was central to my treatment.

Like DonR, any attempted refusal to comply would likely be dismissed as "making a fuss" and I'd have to do it anyway.

And that was probably the main underlying reason, by attempting to refuse it would show that I was upset by it and I didn't want them to know that. So in an early display of teenage "coolness" I covered up my internal feelings, did as I was told and got undressed

As was the case with many in the era I grew up, it was not acceptable to argue or rebel against the wishes of my mom or the nurse when told to undress. Many times my mother would undress me before the nurse, making me feel even more like a child. Even as I got older, my mom was present in the exam room and the same procedure was in place. Once told to disrobe, there was no pause, rather I was to take off my clothes and fold them, placing them on a chair in the room, then be taken to the scale to begin the exam.

Andrew W and I (though c.20 years apart) had very similar examination experiences. Like Don R, I was a pretty compliant kid. Twice a year ( starting at age 7 ) I had to see the top Consultant Paediatrician in Nottinghamshire (UK). The year was 1960. These appointments took place in his specialist room / office at Nottingham Children's Hospital (long since closed and demolished). There was a small private waiting area. Usually there would be 3 or 4 children in there (I think he specialised in child patients c.5yrs - c.12 yrs. ) -usually with their mothers.

My mother was always telling me how important the doctor was, how lucky I was to be able to see him, how I must mind my manners, do exactly what he said etc etc. To save time (generally a few minutes before the appointment time), children had to strip down to their underwear before being called into his office. Usually my mother was always telling me to 'get on with it' or 'look sharp' (Nottinghamshire slang = hurry up!).

My examinations with the Doctor involved me having to strip naked (I have detailed some of these examinations in other threads). Bizarrely, when 'dismissed' I just had to pick up my vest / pants then return to the little waiting area to get dressed (my clothes still being on the chair next to my mother). The only people out there were other child patients (in their undies), their mothers and a secretary / receptionist (Occasionally there might be a nurse in the vicinity).

Thus, I was naked out there for a very brief time. I do recall moaning to my mother about this. You can probably guess her usual responses..' Shut up and get dressed' ' Don't be so silly.' 'Nobody's bothered about looking at you..' etc., etc. She would usually makes these remarks in a sort of hushed / hissed whisper. The thing was, it simply wasn't the done thing to make any kind of fuss (thereby drawing unwanted attention to her). After the first couple of visits, she always lectured me (on the long bus journey) about not making such a silly fuss about nothing ever again....or else......

It never occurred to me to object and I would not have been allowed to refuse to undress for any doctor when I was a kid. I'm not sure why I would have objected since I had two brothers. Being in underwear only was so common at our house that we had to be told to put some clothes on at times. The other reason for not objecting even if it had occurred to me was that I would have been in trouble and would have been spanked or paddled for refusing an order from a nurse or doctor. Our parents wouldn't have put up with any disobedience like that. So if a nurse or doctor or any grownup with authority told us to strip down, we would have done it without hesitation.

I never knew it was an option. When the nurse would say, "Everything off except your panties," I just felt like there was no other choice.

More kids started to complain about it if they have grown up since the 80s as society got more and more litigious it seems. It seems like it was more acceptable before my lifetime, but kids in recent decades were/are more apt to be embarrassed about undressing to be poked and prodded by non family members from a very young age

My sister refused to undress to her underwear for a physical way back when she was like 5. This was in the mid-90s and it was with a male doctor which was the main reason. Every physical she had from 6 or 7 onwards was with a female doctor for this reason.

I doubt that body shyness or an increase in modesty has anything to do with litigation. Families are smaller now and many kids don't have to share bedrooms anymore. Fewer people serve or have served in the military. Plus the older generation that ran our schools and homes has passed on. Their attitudes didn't survive and in a lot of cases that is a very good thing. No lawsuit changed any of those attitude shifts.

No I never did and neither did my two growing up. I would have been embarassed and annoyed/ mildly cross if they did.

If you have a good relationship with your doctor then I can't see any patient out right refusing.

Can be a little modest but that does not translate to refusing to undress any part during a check up / valid reason.

If you do not have that relationship with your dr find another one.

Not stripping for an examination but I once refused to bend over a receptionist's lap for her to watch me get an injection in my vulnerable bare bottom.

If you have don't have that relationship with your dr find another one.

All very well saying that when it domes to GPs, but a bit harder to do when you're dealing with a consultant who is treating something rather less common - I was, for isntance, the unlucky birth against 5000 healthy ones. What then? Transfer to their colleague (if there is another suitably qualified one)? Transfer to a different hospital?

My consultant had a bedside manner that was, quite honestly, pretty terrible considering he'd spent nearly thirty years practicing medicine and paediatrics in particular for probably the best part of 25 years. (It was unsurprising to read years later some of the papers he'd written, including one advocating sedation for certain examinations - he probably found that quicker and easier than gaining the trust of some of his patients.) He didn't know how to talk to or interact with kids at all. But in reality there was little alternative - and this was in a city which had two children's hospitals who could treat my condition.

No, I never outright refused! There was always a vocal or facial protest but being outnumbered by the doc, nurse and parent made it impossible. I also feared that protesting would just result in more unpleasant things, which I doubt really happened but it ran through my mind. Undressing to my briefs was a given with no other option and likely they would be removed sooner or later! At that point, there isn't much one can do aside from trying to cover up or stall turning over or bending over. When the nurse would return with a shot, it was now very emotional regardless of standing there and being examined for a hernia for all to see. A brave effort to fight away the tears was attempted but generally did not work as I would shriek as soon as the needle hit my cheek. The quick walk to my clothing was a mix of discomfort from the shot and feeling so embarrassed as I always got really small not that I was by any means a giant then or now. It does seem funny in a way how the "penis" tends to tell the tale. I always left small and likely started out that way!

Not stripping for an examination but I once refused to bend over a receptionist's lap for her to watch me get an injection in my vulnerable bare bottom.

Sigh.

Sigh.

Not stripping for an examination but I once refused to bend over a receptionist's lap for her to watch me get an injection in my vulnerable bare bottom.

@JimmyJohnson. I agree. Jabbotuk stop being a rerun or go away. Make a decision please.

I always listened to instructions from doctor just helps get it done quickly

When I was a child and went to the annual exam with the pediatrician, he always made me undress and stay with only underwear.

At some point during the exam, the pediatrician would lower your underwear to examine penis and testicles and turn up your underwear again.

It was obligatory to do so and I never considered refusing to do so, in any case it would have been the same to refuse because my parents would have forced me to do so.

I don't even recall flat out refusing, but I do remember a physical when I was around 11 or 12, I had to strip down to my underwear so the doctor could perform a genital exam, and I asked my mom to look the other way while he did that, lol.

I never knew it was an option. When the nurse would say, "Everything off except your panties," I just felt like there was no other choice.

Same here: I never refused and actually never considered that as an option.

Same here: I never refused and actually never considered that as an option.

Same here as well.

Does anyone know any writing or instruction on removing little or all clothing for a medical examination in the pediatrician.

Around the 80s the procedure my mother used with me at hospital was completely nude. This in Argentina. No sure how in another countries

No. They were never presented as an option, so I never thought to ask for one, let alone not undress. It's just what you had to do at the pediatrician.