Weird or me? Teens and doctors

[woolymonkey]

The monkey house is 4 doors away from our family doctors' practice. Spidermonkey has verrucas that need fortnightly trips to the doctors for freezing. In the waiting room is a poster assuring under 16s that they can visit their doctor in complete confidentiality. This got me thinking.

Wouldn't it be easier if spidermonkey walked himself to the doctor to have his verrucas frozen while I stayed at home with squirrelmonkey who hates doctors' waiting rooms.

Answer: no. Until spider is 16, I have to accompany him so I can give consent to each session of verruca freezing individually. If he was a girl wanting contraception or abortion, I wouldn't have to be there, or even know about it; but since he's a boy with verrucas, they're not allowed to treat him on his own.

I'm all in favour of teenagers having access to confidential medical support, but isn't it slightly weird that sexually active girls should be the only ones to enjoy this privilege?

Clarifications:
1.It's not our local doctors' practice setting these rules. They think it's crazy too, but as far as they know, that's how it is and they risk getting into trouble if they do it different.
2. It's not a big deal for us, now, in practical terms. I just think it's weird.

Comments

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

That is indeed completely daft. Can't you persuade them that having verrucas frozen is a novel form of contraception? (If I were a girl of spidermonkey's age I would run a mile at the very mention of verruca-freezing.)

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Daft. That's the word I was looking for.

[poetic-self.livejournal.com]

On the other hand.. If he was a girl wanting contraception or abortion, I wouldn't have to be there this sounds like a good thing. There was a post on my f-list about women and abortion in Australia and how it seems not always be possible for them to have one, so this got me thinking. Hm.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

It's a Very Good Thing, in my opinion.

But I still think it's barmy to make that the ONLY reason a teenager can see a doctor on his/her own.
I'd always assumed a girl's right to confidential contraception was part of a wider human right to make you own decisions for your own body. There's frequent controversy here about teen access to contraception etc. and it can't strengthen the case for access if the law says a child of 12 can't have his verrucas frozen without his mum there.
One of many reasons I thought of sending spider on his own was that it seemed like a good way for him to learn about accessing medical services for himself, a skill that might come in very handy later - hopefully not until he's quite a lot older.

[dharma-slut.livejournal.com]

Can you buy Duct tape? This works, I promise you.

[dharma-slut.livejournal.com]

...which, of course was just slightly off-topic...

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Not off topic at all. I'd heard of this but didn't know how to do it or if it was more than an urban myth. Have you used it yourself? It sounds good. Will stick with the cryo now we've started, but will give duct tape a try next time. There's always a next time.

PS You don't have any tips for headlice, do you? I can get rid of them with conditioner and combing, but it takes two weeks. This is fine now, during six week summer hols, but once they're back at school and picking up a new batch of bugs every 3 days it becomes quite depressing...

[dharma-slut.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's worked for me-- got rid of Plantars warts that I'd had for ten years, as well as one on my thumb that cryo never worked on. Not only did I lose all; the ones that I stuck tape over-- some other ones disappeared at the same time.

Try it *in addition* to the cryo.

No tips for lice... I wonder if tea tree oil, or eucalyptus oil added to your daily conditioner might help as a repellent, but that's totally an uninformed guess!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Duct tape comes straight off. His feet are too sweaty. :-0

[dharma-slut.livejournal.com]

A whole, wide strip, under his socks....