When You Are Warned This Is An Obvious Risk To Be Avoided.

This appeared last week:GPs warned to avoid intimate examinations of kids over telehealthDoctors say it is important children learn it is never appropriate to expose their genitalia to a camera25th August 2022BySiobhan CalafioreIntimate examinations of children via telehealth might inadvertently increase the risk of online sexual grooming, GPs are being warned.Asking a child to undress in front of a phone or computer camera, even for a medical examination with a parent present, may normalise the type of behaviour that sexual predators would encourage, according to paediatric endocrinologists writing in theJournal of Paediatrics and Child Health.Dr Jacky Hewitt said she co-authored the journal letter after the issue arose during her own consults. “Since the pandemic, we’ve seen quite a number of families via telehealth who have tried to undress their child to show the physical development of their chest or genital area over web camera,” she toldAustralian Doctor.“Some said they had done it to their GP as well when they first sought care.”Another concern was that the devices could be hacked and footage from the consultations downloaded, she added.She said all intimate examinations of minors should be done in person.“Telehealth is such a new field. I think a number of doctors have not had the time to think about appropriate boundaries and the use of the technology.” In their letter, Dr Hewitt and her co-authors said there was a “pandemic of online child...

Source: Australian Health Information Technology - September 1, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs