8 Ways To Prep Your Child For The Doctor

By Sonakshi Kandhari

July 1, 2022

No one enjoys a visit to the doctor. If most adults dread it, can you imagine the impact it has on a child? Soothing and coaxing your child might not always help. But these tips can do the trick in making your next visit to the paediatrician a tolerable experience for your child.

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Role play works 

Playing a game while pretending to be a doctor helps bring down a child's level of fear. Using play instruments to hear their heartbeat while pretending to inspect their ears and mouth will make the doctor’s visit less frightening. This exercise also has other benefits like language, skill and emotional development.

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Time for conversations

If your child is fearful before an appointment, validate their feelings. Doing otherwise will result in them shutting down. Post the appointment, appreciate your child’s courage. Ask your little one how did it go? Acknowledge their responses and refrain from sharing dos and don’ts.

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Company matters

Does your child have a favourite toy, blanket, or doll? Carry it along for the doctor’s appointment. Tugging at their favourite object makes a child feel safe, fosters a sense of togetherness and helps deal with overwhelming emotions. This add-on will make the appointment a smooth affair.

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Pre-plan, always

Plan out each phase of the doctor’s visit to ease your child’s nervousness. On the way, you can play their favourite playlist while waiting for the doctor, or comfort your child with a hug, and follow up the appointment with a visit to your child’s favourite toy store.

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Information beforehand helps

Taking your child through the steps in advance helps them understand what to expect. Guidelines like ‘the doctor will make you stand against the wall and measure your height’ or the ‘doctor is going to place a stethoscope on your chest to hear your heartbeat’ can work wonders.

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Getting prepared

Offer your child an age-appropriate explanation about what a doctor and nurses do. Telling them that a doctor’s job is to make someone feel better when they are not well and bringing to their notice that even adults visit a doctor when required is reassuring for them.

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Keep calm

Watching your child get teary-eyed while visiting the doctor can be unsettling, but it is crucial for you to remain calm. Do what works – whether it's hearing calming music, taking deep breaths, or giving them a big wide hug!

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Watch and learn

Children adapt to anything that’s featured in the cartoons they see or the stories that are read to them. So reading them books or watching videos on successful doctors will help bring down their anxiety levels. They might then look forward to visiting the doctor rather than throwing a tantrum.

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