How to overcome fear of the doctor?

Simple ways to help the child alleviate the fear of a doctor

Experts say the fear of a doctor is the result of several factors: the temperament of the child, his age and previous experience in clinics and hospitals. Children who are small and often ill and exposed to a number of unpleasant searches have a greater chance of developing a fear of going to the pediatrician. If we add to this the so-called developmental fear of unknown people and situations, the departure of a doctor for some parents is a nightmare. Highly in the list of stressful situations in a doctor's office is certainly vaccination and any procedure involving the needle.

A child who is afraid of a doctor usually cries loudly, gives resistance, and cannot calm down. It's hardest with kids between one and four years because they already withdraw certain associations when they see a doctor or when they realize they have to go to the hospital, but they cannot logically and rationally explain that it's all for their own benefit.

When they see their sad, frightened and crying child, often parents develop anxiety about going to the doctor. Some even postpone vaccines or try to solve the pediatric treatment by telephone. If, however, they leave the doctor, their unrest and inconvenience are transferred to their child by the non-verbal and unconscious, which makes the situation even worse. Parents admit that it is difficult to follow the instructions of the pediatrician during the examination because they are so disturbed by the child's stress as if they were not present in the office at all. It is therefore important that the parent calm down first because visits to a doctor are necessary. No pediatrician can determine the health status of a child by heart or by telephone. The doctor must check the child.

How to make a visit to a pediatrician less scary for a child (and parent)?

1. Prepare the child of departure

Even if she does not want to talk about going to a doctor, tell the child what will happen to the examination. You can do this using toys (doctor's sets for children), using a role play with a child's favorite plush toy or using picture books.

The child is afraid of an unknown, just like adults. Depending on what you are going to do with a pediatrician, describe the child step by step how it will look (we will go by car, park, get to the waiting room, there will be other children, we will wait for sister to invite us, we will go to the doctor's office, et cetera). In this way, in the safety of her home in the head, the child becomes acquainted with the situation she knows from before and gets a kind of comfort that everything will be fine.

2. Do not create additional fears and do not mock the child

When explaining what will happen during the review, do not lie or silence. Better say right now: "Let's go to take a vaccine, she could hurt you a little, but in a moment it will pass. I'll be there with you. " The goal is, to be honest, but not exaggerate the fear or mock it with words like "Do not be a baby".

Also, even when the child is healthy, do not be afraid of leaving the doctor. Many parents discipline children in a way that they "threaten" and scare them with something that is extremely unpleasant and negative for children.

3. Do not offer empty promises

Do not tell your child that you will not get a vaccine/injection or that you will not take blood if it is not true or you do not know it is not true. If you say that there will be no needles, and then the child will get it, you will not believe it anymore, and when you leave doctor you will have even more problems. Repeat, the child is most afraid of the unknown. A child is afraid of what doctor will do, so lying or guessing is not an option.

4. Offer the child a distraction

In such cases, while waiting for an overview, it is good to have a mobile phone cartoon, toy in a bag, or some pre-planned topic for a conversation to let the child relax and distract him from fear.

When you enter the clinic and when the doctor is to give the vaccine/injection (which is the biggest fear in children), a trick that experienced pediatricians know is that during the administration of the vaccine/injection, the child attempts to force him to cough in order to slightly distract the pain from the needle.

5. Provide comfort

The feeling of fear in small children is the need to provide protection, comfort and a sense of security. On the day you know that you need to give the child more patience with a doctor, more embraces, hold him all the way closer to him, take him to the wing, let it be your little baby again. In this way, you calm yourself and the physical touch to give the child a message that everything will be fine and that you are with him.

6. Reward your child with some delicacy after the examination

Promise your child that after visiting a doctor, you will go together for ice cream or if a child has a cold that you will be at home under the blanket to watch a cartoon or read a favorite story as often as it wants. Here, it is not the goal of buying the child's peace and obedience, but rather distracting little thoughts from the present, announcing a pleasant future.

In this way, you help the child to create positive associations regarding the experience of going to the doctor.