Boys behavioral

I have a grandson 10 years old and a greatnephew 12 years old last week I had both boys at my home for the summer vaction for 1 week. When my grandson got home he told his dad that the 12 old had touch him and more than once,but nothing eles had happen just thouching. Should I talk with my niece are wait until my son come back down in about one week? My son and niece are very close but for the past ten years they only see each other on holidays. I don't know what to do about the boys should we take them to a doctor are what?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It would make sense for your grandson's parents and the parents of the greatnephew to discuss this and figure out (a) the specifics of what actually occurred and how it came to pass, and (b) what to do about it. Until more of the specifics are known, it's not possible to make any recommenadtion about professional follow-up. From a developmental perspective, there is a great deal of difference between a 10 year old and a 12 year old. If any over coercion occurred, there wold be a greater cause for worry than if no overt coercion occurred. Sometimes, when there is either a large-enough age difference or developmental difference between the children, the younger child can feel a legitimate coercion, even when there may not have been any overt coercive behavir. This is why it's important to learn more about the details from the two participants.