Ah ... but there are pat-downs, and there are pat-downs. At least, that's what the report seems to be.

It used to be that a pat-down never directly touched one's genitalia; if a pat-down in that area was required, it was always conducted with the back of the hand, and always carefully announced in advance. Now, there are tons of reports that a much more invasive form of pat-down is in use in some (but not all) locations --- in particular, involving using the front of the hand to screen the genitalia, and perhaps even involving squeezing the bits-and-pieces.

TSA won't confirm anything about these new screening techniques, except that "enhanced patdowns [are] part of our layered approach to security". So, there's no way for a common passenger to know (a) if they're going to be required to receive a patdown, (b) whether or not that pat-down will be "enhanced" or "non-enhanged", and (c) in either case, specifically what physical contact will be required in either scenario.

So, suppose for a moment that I'm the legal guardian of a passenger for whom physical contact is a concern. (The reason doesn't matter; pick your favorite reason.) How am I supposed to prepare my ward for a TSA checkpoint ... when TSA won't tell me what to expect?