True, it may take a while to overturn the patriarchy. But being aware of this kind of bias can help you become a better advocate for your own child, says Dr. Hill. “No pediatrician gets up in the morning and says, ‘I am going to treat a boy’s pain differently from a girl’s.’ But doctors are human, and we can bring all kinds of assumptions when we interpret what’s going on with any individual patient. One of the most important things a parent can do is tell the doctor, ‘I know my child, and she is not usually like this. She hardly ever complains. She is the kind of kid who can fall off her bike and get back up, laughing.’ As pediatricians, we put a huge amount of stock in that kind of statement.”