When your toddler is scared of going to the doctor’s office, even a basic well-child exam can trigger a tidal wave of fear and anxiety — followed by major emotional meltdowns.
If your little one is afraid of going to the doctor, we can help. When you schedule a health care appointment at Pediatric Practitioners of Oklahoma in Claremore, Oklahoma, our team takes your child’s worries seriously — and we strive to create a positive experience.
Here, we take a closer look at seven ways you can alleviate your child’s medical anxiety and set them up for the best possible office visit.
Many parents find it helpful to head to the library and check out a few early-age picture books about going to the doctor. Besides familiarizing your toddler with the health care process, illustrated stories can help them connect with a character who shares their same fears — and has a good experience in the end.
Telling your toddler there’s no need to be afraid of the doctor isn’t as effective as helping them experience the opposite feelings — calm and reassurance — about medical care. You can do just that (while shrinking your child’s anxieties) with interactive play.
We recommend role-playing a basic wellness exam to help your toddler “practice” feeling more comfortable with health care. You can use a toy medical kit to show them how their provider will listen to their heart, look inside their ears, and check their blood pressure and temperature.
Once you’ve shown your child how their care provider will use a thermometer, otoscope, stethoscope, and blood pressure cuff to check their health, invite them to provide the same kind of gentle checkup care to their favorite doll or stuffed animal — or you.
Having your toddler “be” a doctor helps demystify the role, so it’s no longer scary. It also helps them understand that their care provider is working to keep them strong and healthy. All of this serves to boost your toddler’s confidence at any office visit.
Whether you need to bring your child in for a same-day sick visit or their prescheduled wellness exam is right around the corner, let your toddler know they’re coming to our office about an hour or two before you arrive for your appointment.
You don’t want to surprise your young child with zero notice, but you also don’t want to tell them so far in advance that their anxiety has time to grow. For most young children, a short notice provides just enough time to process their fear — with your guidance and help.
If taking your anxious toddler to the doctor makes you feel a bit anxious, too, you may unintentionally exacerbate the problem. How? Small children often sense, absorb, and reflect their parent’s unease — and vice versa.
To help your child feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible at our office, it’s essential to first calm your own parental worries about their fears. When your child sees your trust and confidence in our pediatric care providers, they’ll feel more secure, too.
If your toddler is scared of shots, don’t try to calm them ahead of their visit by telling them that they won’t be getting one — especially if the opposite is true. False expectations can erode your child’s trust in you and create even more anxiety ahead of future doctor’s visits.
Instead, let them know that a shot just feels like a tiny pinch, and it’s over in an instant. Tell them they can squeeze your hand the whole time, and emphasize that the vaccine it contains gives them “superpowers” against illness.
You can also reduce your toddler’s stress and pain by diverting their attention when we administer a shot. Singing a favorite song, looking at something interesting, or even having them cough right before the shot can ease your toddler’s anxiety in the moment.
Most toddlers feel very apprehensive about sitting alone on a medical table; that’s why we encourage parents to hold or hug their young children for as much of the exam as possible. These “comfort positions” give you a way to support your child, alleviate their anxiety, and make them feel safe.
Showering your toddler with kisses, hugs, and words of praise after every doctor visit can help you set the stage for a smoother experience the next time around. Even if their anxiety wasn’t always under control — and even if they had plenty of tears — let them know that they were amazingly brave and did a great job.
Your growing child has ongoing health and wellness needs, and our compassionate team is dedicated to making every office visit as stress-free and positive as possible. Call or click online to schedule a visit at Pediatric Practitioners of Oklahoma today.
