Caring for your child’s health is critical but not a cakewalk. Your child also has difficulty, especially when a doctor’s visit is due. Your child can be overwhelmed whether you are going for the annual wellness checkups or a sick visit. To make your Falls pediatric care visits more productive, you need to prepare your child. Proper preparation enhances efficiency since the child won’t show much resistance following instructions. Among the pointers that can help prepare your child for the doctor’s visits include:
Acknowledge the fear
Children, especially those under seven years, fear that they could be separated from their parents during pediatric visits. This is more so if they have had such an experience, like when you had to leave the exam room. Acknowledging the separation concerns and reassuring that it won’t happen, and if any, you will be in the next room, can help alleviate the fear. This makes it easier for the child to get along the processes with fewer interruptions, a win-win for you and the doctor.
Address the pain
Besides the fear of separation, your child may be worried that the visits will be painful. They may think that they will get a shot, which is worrisome even for some adults to the extent of inducing vasovagal syncope (passing out). Your child may also think that you are downplaying the situation and that the visit may need painful treatment like surgery, more so if they have seen or interacted with others who had such procedures. Talking more about the reason for the doctor’s visit and what to expect can help alleviate the anxiety and fear of the pain. This will minimize resistance, make getting to the doctor’s office much easier, and productively manage the necessary steps.
Keep the guilt in mind
Children often feel guilty about the circumstances. If they fall ill, they may feel it is a punishment for their actions. Even for routine visits, the child can feel like the exams are a punishment for their wrongdoings. They may also feel like a burden to their parents, which results in more resistance and low self-esteem even after the visit. Comforting and cheering your child up can help eliminate such guilt, making subsequent visits more productive.
Foster confidence
Doctor’s office is not among the comfy environments anyone looks forward to, but this doesn’t mean it is a bad place. Nonetheless, you should avoid painting a negative image of the environment. Instead, help your child see the doctor’s office as a place they go to when ill and when healthy and striving to remain so. It is more common than you might expect for parents to induce doctor’s fear, such as scaring them to eat or else go for a shot. Building confidence helps your child look forward to their next wellness visits, a routine they can comfortably carry on to adulthood.
Parents have a hard time as they strive to keep their children healthy, which annual wellness visits can help alleviate. Preparing your child for a doctor’s visit may not be on top of your mind, but it is essential to recognize that your child can affect the visit’s productivity. Contact Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern Pennsylvania for all your pediatric care needs today.
