Ok so my child who is 4 years old had a 'prekindergarten check' by the local child doctor and he made her do all kinds of stuff from hopping to drawing, catching a ball and naming colours. At the end of the check he then told her to take off panties as he wanted to check if a vagina had opened and he touched her there without wearing gloves. Is this normal??? I found it really strange as she is only 4 years old and I didn't understand why it was necessary. He explained that he has to check boys there too as well as girls. Seems all a bit odd to me. Anyone else come across this?

Having had 2 girls start kindergarten, I have never heard of or encountered a pre-kindergarten medical.
(Incidentally why are you writing now about a pre-kindergarten medical, when schools have been back, for best part of a month).

During the school year they have had medicals from a school doctor, but have never reported anything like this.

This does seem a bit strange and worrying, but hopefully your daughter isn't as concerned and upset as you may be.

WTF??!?!!?!?

Never happened with my kids.

Here's what the SZ cantonal website says about the Schulärztliche Untersuchung:

http://www.sz.ch/xml_1/internet/de/a...850/p25852.cfm

I'd assume this was a very old doctor with some very old notions of examination...

However, the not wearing gloves thing is supported by pretty good science - that proper handwashing in between every patient gives just as much, if not more hygiene than using gloves, and is probably gentler to the child.

The doctor may also have been checking general hygiene as well...

If it's a general physical check, then yes, that would mean looking at the whole body...

As freaky as it seems, labial adhesions are somewhat common and easy to treat with estrogen cream. My daughter had a completely closed labia at her 3 year visit and I hadn't noticed since, well, I didn't go poking around. So, though I think the lack of gloves is dubious, checking her parts isn't. Not sure why he'd be checking out the boys for labial adhesions...

The "equivalent" check for boys is to make sure both testicles are descended into the right place and that the foreskin isn't likely to cause any trouble (i.e. isn't too tight).

I think it is just another name for the scheduled 4 year old check and isn't necessarily immediately before Kindergarten. The OP's daughter might be going there with the next intake next year and has only just turned 4. Just a guess.

Here is one very informative website regarding the condition.

http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/lab...ns_parent.html

Oh wow!!! The dr should have asked for your permission first. Even if its normal procedure I wouldn't agree a male dr touching my daughter that way. You might as well think I'm old fashioned but for me my daughter is the most precious thing in the world.. I can totally understand how you feel..

Thanks for the feedback and information. He wasn't a very old doctor, in his 50's I think. It was meant to be a pre kindergarten check but he was fully booked before the summer so she had her check a bit late.
He said it was to check if the vagina has opened so when she has her period the blood isn't blocked. I just thought it was all a bit early to be checking things like that and where I am from (u.k) this is unheard of. I will now be looking for a new doctor for her preferably a female. Does anyone know of a good English speaking pediatrician near Richterswil area? Thanks.

OMG?!?!

I know. I should report him but I don't speak german and have a feeling that the Swiss people won't care. Also I wouldn't know how to go about this.

Maybe don't go in all guns blazing with a complaint. If you go in with a kind of "I wasn't comfortable with this, can someone explain it to me" attitude, you might get further. If none of the reception staff speak English, take a German speaking friend or neighbour who can speak for you.

As earlier posters have also had experience of this, it would seem it's a recognised examination and maybe, if your child's doctor isn't so great in English, his explanation didn't make so much sense to you.

I have to say, the developmental checks for children here seem a LOT more thorough than those in the UK. In the UK, if there isn't a limb hanging off, the child is classed as healthy and developing normally.

I guess the UK doctors don't check children's genitalia unless absolutely forced to, and they can be guaranteed an army of witnesses and a back up of triplicate paperwork for fear of this very situation.

I'm not sure why you think it was a wrong thing for the doctor to do ?

I would expect you were present, and that your child felt comfortable with the doctor. I would also expect it was handled as a very matter-of-fact process and nothing to be afraid or uncomfortable about.

I'd also expect that a Paediatrician/Doctor has an obligation to check all part of the child's anatomy. It would be normal for them to also check for any signs of sexual abuse or signs of infection or hygiene issues. But they may not tell you that this is part of what they are checking.

And it's far more gentle to touch a child with your skin, and with gloves on. I'm sure it was done with clean hands, and nothing worse than what would happen if you were changing a small child's nappy. In fact, child psychiatrists would say that touching a child with gloves, unless absolutely necessary, sends the wrong message to the child - that their body is 'dirty'...

From my understand, age 4 would be an appropriate time to make this check, and the child is not going to be embarrassed about the process.

And I can tell you that my GP in Australia definitely did checks of the genitals as normal procedure, when they were babies.

If you are uncomfortable about having a male doctor touching your female child, then sure, choose a female doctor. From experience, having seen many doctors with my three children, I can't say that female is necessarily better, as all the doctors my children have seen (apart from the female one who thought it was perfectly OK to do a rectal temperature on my 2 year old).... have been absolutely professional, gentle and kind.

I dont think there is anything wrong with that area being checked, i have had both male and female doctors check that area and they have worn gloves. However sometimes you just have a gut feeling that something is not as professional as it should be.

Ok so I am a little freaked out by this post... I have a two year old girl.. But to be honest all the posts that have followed the initial one sound like the examination was legit... As for being uncomfortable with the doctor touching your child in their genital area, you should have shouted "STOP I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS!!!", and don't you be afraid to do that Ever... You won't look foolish, you may look super duper protective but mammies are, so screw what the doctor thinks, he'll get over it..
Our children have to be checked for their growth etc. but it is on our terms and it is us, the parents, who give the permission and allow it to go ahead.. If you need a detailed document explaining why everything must be done, then Demand it if you feel ill-informed.. Coz I hate to break it to ya, it's a bit late to get informed on the english forum if it was not medical examination...

So the genital area is never the subject of a medical issue is it? All "rude" areas are off limits?

I have a boy so can only comment on his examination. As my son isn't circumcised it is necessary to keep a check on his foreskin at each developmental check. Also, the doctor has checked once or twice whether the testicles are in the right position.

If I had shouted at him to leave my son's penis alone and had not allowed him to quickly examine it, I might not be aware that he is at risk of needing a circumcision or similar treatment. He's not - but I wouldn't have had that reassurance from the doctor.

I think sometimes we need to put the media hysteria to one side and perhaps give professionals the benefit of the doubt.

I'm not saying it doesn't go on and in this case the OP said her "gut" feeling told her that something wasn't quite right but this does not mean this kind of examination is automatically something seedy.

I'm sure the OP will come back to the thread some time and let us know which way her follow up goes.

I posted to see if anyone else has had similar experiences. I know I should have said no if I was asked premission but i was never asked. During the required medical check I said I would do it myself to cut it short.

"I should have said no"

To tell you the truth I am from Ireland and it is in my nature to wait it out and to look at everything in hindsight. But Switzerland has thought me one wonderful thing and that is to speak up when something feels wrong. The strongest instinct we have is our gut instinct. Go with it! Thank you for your post, I know that when my little one is getting checked I will be a dose for the doctor!!

Once your daughter is into Kindergarten, she'll get a couple of visits by the school doctor each year. You will normally be told ahead of time when his/her visit is. Just for your own peace of mind, perhaps you might want to bump into the school doctor and run what happened past him to get a second opinion from a professional in the same field.