I am writing this to share my personal experience as a former pediatric patient, in the hope that…read moreit helps others feel validated and encourages parents and patients to trust their instincts. I saw Dr. Perin as a child for allergy treatment (cats, dust, mold, stuffed animals, etc.). From a very young age, this practice was one of the places where I felt the most unsafe and uncomfortable. Most visits with the doctor left me feeling uncomfortable and uneasy. The way Dr. Perin looked at me and interacted with me felt creepy and inappropriate. He frequently touched my ears, earrings, hair, neck, rubbed my shoes, and feet in ways that did not feel medically necessary. During allergy shots or examinations, he often insisted that I remove my shirt so he could "check my posture," despite me insisting that posture checks were already being evaluated at my school. There was another time I had to complete a fitness test. You run in circles behind the office. Most of the patients would complete it and come back in, get set up to a machine. But for mine, he would watch me run for the entire 10-15 minutes. Watching and smiling. He'd also insist to clean my ears and rub them. These requests happened repeatedly. I regularly complained and expressed discomfort, and I hated going to appointments. I often begged my mother or a nurse to come into the room with me because I did not want to be alone with him. At the time, my concerns were brushed off because he was a doctor and considered a professional. And her friends said he's great and does a very thorough job. The most disturbing incident occurred when, as a 12-year-old, he told me I needed to remove all my clothes for a vaginal exam. When I questioned why an allergist would need to do this, he claimed he needed to check my hymen and said it was connected to my lungs and could be affecting my breathing. Even as a child, this logic felt weird and wrong. I became extremely upset, refused, and cried to my mother. Looking back as an adult, I now understand how inappropriate and frightening these experiences were. No child should feel confused, scared, or unsafe during medical care. If that is constantly the case, look at the doctor, not the child. After the (Larry Nassar), Olympic doctor scandal, I wanted to do something, but I never did. As I fear these heinous actions were done under the guise of medical treatment. I was relieved to learn that this practice is now closed and that Dr. Perin has since retired. My heart goes out to anyone else who may have had similar experiences. I hope this review helps others feel less alone and reminds parents and patients to listen to that inner voice when something doesn't feel right. I hope I was an exception and not the rule. I release and let go of this.
