A doctor said to my 9 yr-old son today "Have you been eating a lot over Christmas? Have you been putting on weight?"
She then went on to talk about him needing to do more exercise.
Dr should have known
He is a skinny little thing - you can see is hip bones and he has no tummy at all! He is above average height for his age and below average weight for his age.
Dr would not have known
We have been concerned at his unhealthy attitudes to food in the past. He sometimes exercises compulsively and chooses/declines food on the basis of them being 'high fat'. (He has not got these attitudes from us.) I know some very anorexic boys (teenagers) so it's always on my radar.
Dr should have known
He was in for a consultaton about some plastic surgery on a birth mark on his back/bum. He has had two operations in the past 4 months. Among other things this has meant he has had 6 weeks of this time when he hasn't done any PE, swimming or playtimes (on their advice).
Dr should have known
The operations by their very nature (excising and stretching skin) will have reduced the elasticity of the skin. Apparently - when pressed - when she made her ill-judged comments this lack of elasticity is what she was talking about.
ds2 was rolling about on the floor just now and I tickled him and jokily said "you're a skinny little wretch" and he said, "No, I'm not! Call this skinny? Look at this huge tummy. The doctor today said I need to lose weight."
I wasn't at the appointment. But dh went as ballistic as he could at her with ds2 in the room. We are now considering whether or not to complain in a more official manner.