What are pediatritions looking for when they do this?

Question:

Whenever I go to the pediatrician, after all the questions and blood pressure and stuff, I am asked to lay on my back with my knees bended. Then he pushes on parts of my abdomen methodically searching for or the lack of something. I never got around to asking him what he was looking for. Is this a standard exam? What are you looking/testing for?

just curious: Do you think he knows when I am sucking in my gut?

Answers:
Haha, he might! I'm pretty sure all they are looking for is to make sure nothing is swollen or distended, etc, as your bladder, kidneys, stomach, gall bladder, etc are in that area. Depending on your age and whether or not you've hit puberty, they may also be checking your ovaries and uterus for irregularities (at least, my gyno always does to check for endometriosis and other scary ovary diseases).

If you are concerned or just curious, ask your doctor! They're there to answer your questions and make sure you feel okay, and they may be checking for something you haven't thought of.

He is feeling your internal organs to feel for anything abnormal like tumors or an an enlarged liver or spleen etc. He is also looking to see if you have any pain when he presses because if you do that would mean something is wrong. Not all patients tell their doc about things as they are afraid or embarrassed so the doc checks for things like this.

What are pediatritions looking for when they do this?

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