Is it unprofessional for HR manager(40 y/o woman) to speak to 25 y/o employee like he’s a child, as well as repeatedly call him a “good boy”?

And is it understandable if he feels belittled and patronized, as if HR thinks he’s retarded?  Please excuse my poor choice of words, but I’m wondering since adults with Down syndrome and other forms of mental retardation are spoken to like children.

FYI - the 25 y/o got the job through his mother’s connections.  However, he lives on his own and has a car, as well as a girlfriend.  But HR embarrassed him in front of the staff by asking how his mother’s doing, as well as mentioning that she saw her the other day at a corporate event, since they both work in the same field.  Should she have kept her mouth shut and realize beforehand that mentioning guy got job through his mother is a “no no,” thus a guy’s masculinity?  Is she not very bright when it comes to gender studies AND Human Resources?

She is 40 with no husband or kids, but has 100s of nephews and nieces.  Perhaps she feels the need to baby adult men younger than her, in an effort to fill that void?  If so, at the job is extreme and uncalled for.