I read with sadness the April 2 and 3 articles about Dr. Mel Levine in Chapel Hill. I am in no position to know his innocence or guilt, but I do know that he has had an admirable career. He has positively impacted thousands of families and children's lives both in Boston and Chapel Hill and has had an immeasurable impact on the field of developmental pediatrics and learning styles.

I wanted to dispute a quoted comment from Boston lawyer Carmen Durso [who represents plaintiffs in the civil case]: "There's no medical reason for a genital examination for ADHD" (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

When a child is evaluated for developmental disabilities, ADHD among them, a genital exam is indeed an important part of the exam. There are many syndromes and diseases that account for developmental delays, and they often have physical findings that include genital changes.

At the Clinical Center for the study of Development and Learning, where Dr. Levine worked for years, it was crucial that genital exams be a part of the initial work-up of those children. "Staging" pubertal development is also a important part of assessing general health and development in already diagnosed children, so it would be reasonable to expect that to be a part of regular physical exams.

Melanie Walker, M.D.

Raleigh

(The writer is a pediatrician.)

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