Age you stopped going to the pediatrician

Last pediatrician visit was age 12. My mom never made me see him or another doctor again. I didn’t have a PCP until I turned 23. See him regularly and he manages my bloodwork and most prescriptions. He’s never actually had me undress or seen my genitals though. He’s a rare find, he actually cares and spends time with patients. He’s a private doctor and only sees selective patients. If I call and ask for him to call me, he’ll usually call me the same day and has no problem talking 15-30 minutes and if I need something he has me stop by and the nurses just give it to me. In person appointments are an hour.

I went to my pediatrician for the very last time was when I was 18, for my college physical. His policy was after you turned 18, finished with high school or enrolled in college you needed to go to a family/ general doctor. Another policy, your mom or dad were required to be present for your physical until you were 16 years old. I was glad to move on to another doctor. My last visit still had to strip down to my underwear while the nurse watched me undress. Every exam room had fire trucks, puppies and kittens or clowns painted on the walls. When checking my genitals, he always would pull my underwear down himself felt like a little kid you incapable of lowering or removing your own underwear. After he completed the exam, he would ask my mom to come into the exam room. Typically I listened to them discuss my health and development while I got dressed. I also found it awkward and embarrassing being 17 or 18 having my genitalia or “privates” discussed with my mom.

I knew some of friends went to pediatrician’s that specialized in adolescent health. Several friends remained with their doctors until they were maybe 20 or 21 years old.

@Surfboard Can you recall any specifics about what was said?

Another policy, your mom or dad were required to be present for your physical until you were 16 years old.

My brothers and I went to a bunch of different doctors in childhood and in our teens in the 1970s and 1980s and most of them required a parent to be present and they would be fairly clear about that policy. One that we went to most often would have private time with me (and, individually, with my brothers) before the examination, when parents would be outside the room (often this was in a conference/office area rather than the exam room but not always). And if anything was being done with us in an exam/treatment room when we were clothed, we could be alone. But, any time we had to undress, a parent had to be present.

There was one time that comes to mind when I was 13 or 14 and he had talked to me in his office and then led me over the exam room, past my mom and dad who were sitting on chairs in the hallway between the two rooms. He made some small talk with them and then he and I went into the room. he asked me a few more questions as I sat fully clothed on the table. Then he took my temperature, looked in my eyes/ears/nose/throat, and then he opened the door and said to my parents “Ok, let's have one or both of you come in so Jake can take his clothes off for me.”

My family never had a pediatrician. If anything was wrong with one of us kids we went to a regular GP.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, setting an upper age limit for pediatric care is not straightforward. The Academy discourage people from setting age limits on pediatric care, as this will depend on an individual’s physical and mental needs.

According to the internet, pediatricians can treat young children through young adults in their late teens. We had a GP and for all of our kids we never saw a “pediatrician” specialist, at least not that I was aware of.

…and then he opened the door and said to my parents “Ok, let's have one or both of you come in so Jake can take his clothes off for me.”

That's hot! What a wonderful way of building anticipation for the next part of the exam. Once you hear that, there's no doubt in your mind that you will be undressed and the doctor (and one of your parents) will see everything.

Shortly after I turned 13

Never really stopped, I married her

I never grew up. Because im a Toys'rus kid. Still see my pediatrician.

@Surfboard Can you recall any specifics about what was said?

MedFet-AL - I will try to answer you question.

Hey, the beginning part of their conversation between my mom and pediatrician was very generic overall health including puberty development. He told my mom my pubes were filling in and my penis and testicles was normal for a boy my age. Next, my foreskin retracted freely and returned naturally. As a result of my doctor’s examination of my penis which resulted in some degree of simulation. He felt the necessity to inform my mom that my became semi erect no big deal totally normal for a healthy teenage boy. The subject move to my testicles hanging freely in scrotum. On occasion, he would ask me questions as I was getting dressed. The questions centered around spontaneous erection, “wet dreams” and regularly masturbate. Sheepishly, I would answer “yes” to those questions which my mom had a good idea I was doing very embarrassing. Finally, that I didn’t have a hernia this was a concern of several of the boys in my family hernias were detected. While he was on this subject he often share his opinions like teen boys should wear briefs instead of boxers and jockstraps to support developing bodies. Lastly, he would discuss, if I began regularly checking my testicles preferably during a shower .

While he was on this subject he often share his opinions like teen boys should wear briefs instead of boxers and jockstraps to support developing bodies.

Gotta love an old-school pediatrician that actually recommends wearing a jockstrap.

@Surfboard How old were you when he was discussing your pubes and penis?

I was a young kid in the 1960's and I have zero memory of ever going to a pediatrician. I do vaguely remember going to the doctor at age 5 - 6 and beyond and it was always to our regular family doctor

There were no pediatricians in my town, just several general practitioners and their nurses.

I considered myself no longer a little boy the day they stopped taking my temp rectally, which happened some time around age six.

Almost 15

Never had a paediatrician as my primary care doctor, but had regular hospital visits growing up with a paediatric surgeon. Last time I was there, I was 15.

@Surfboard How old were you when he was discussing your pubes and penis?

Hey MedFet-AL: my pediatrician began discussing my developmental things “pubes, penis and etc “ begin around 12 or 13 years old. He continued until my last physical at 18.

17

I went to the pediatrician until I was around 20…I recently started going to an adult doctor the last few years. It's definitely still an embarrassing experience especially because the exam is a little more thorough and the genital part is different.

@Kurtis0213 How is it different? How is it more thorough?

My last exam happened when I was 13. At that point, I hadn't been to the pediatrician in about 3 years I think but my mother wanted me to get a check-up.

The exam was pretty thorough and the doctor checked my development. He also examined my testicles, penis and foreskin. I wasn't expecting this type of exam so I was quite embarrassed.

I was 18 when I switched to an adult doctor. My pediatrician performed my college physical and that was the last time I saw him.

I went until 19, very nice guy even told me to stay but its a kids office so it was weird to me

In the clinic/system where I was a patient when growing up, the policy was that 13 and under went to pediatrics; 14 and older were adults.

I had a full physical at age 13 from a female pediatrician and another at age 14 from a female nurse practitioner in the adult clinic.

When I was young I have never gone to the pediatrician, all my family had the same doctor.

It seems the pediatricians were not very common in France in 1960 -1970

When I was young I have never gone to the pediatrician, all my family had the same doctor.

Same here. It's not really a thing in the UK, you wouldn't go to a pediatrician for a routine examination or general complaint outside of a hospital environment (although I assume babies are checked over by one after birth?). Kids just go to the General Practitioner if they're unwell and it's not an emergency.

I went to a pediatrician all the way through high school. My mother would take me for all of my examinations and office visits.

At the end of high school I needed to get a physical exam for college and my father took me to his doctor for that. I was just shy of my 18th birthday, so I went to a pediatrician until I was 18.

I went every year, until I was 18, that was the last time.

The doctor told me, that I would continue with adult doctor and that he would say goodbye to me, at least until I brought my own children.

I was 15 when it stops