The age at which paediatricians and family practitioners first spend private time with child patients was investigated. An anonymous survey which included both hypothetical clinical situations and direct questions about the age at which patients are usually seen alone was sent to 380 physicians, 47.6% of whom responded. A privacy index, computed from the responses to the hypothetical situations, had a significant positive correlation with the age at which physicians said they usually see children alone for routine situations, for chronic disease, and for compliance problems. The results indicated that family prac titioners may see children alone in more situations and at younger ages than do paediatricians. The rationale for affording child patients an opportunity for some private discussion with their primary care physician and the impediments to this are discussed.