Don't be afraid of the doctor's visit

Especially in early childhood, the pediatrician is usually the first point of contact not only in case of illness but also for questions or uncertainties. However, the doctor’s visit does not always go completely smoothly, as for some children it is associated with tension or even fear. To help your toddler learn not to perceive the visit to the pediatrician as a threatening situation, it is important to know how to best handle their tension. In this article, we give you tips on how to help your child overcome the fear of the doctor’s visit and make the examination as comfortable as possible.

Where does the fear of visiting the doctor come from?

First of all: The fear of visiting the doctor is nothing unusual in children. After all, they are confronted with an unfamiliar environment and unknown people who get quite close to them in a short amount of time. Some babies even protest loudly when a doctor or a doctor touches them with cold hands or pokes them during an injection. Usually, however, the negative experience is forgotten by the next examination.

That children consciously perceive the doctor visit and may find it unpleasant begins around the . As soon as a person who is not a close caregiver gets too close to the child and exceeds their natural distance threshold, their protective mechanism kicks in, and they react with fear or aggression. It's actually a great reflex, only in this case, the unfamiliar person is the doctor, and of course, nothing malicious is intended towards your little explorer.

At around two years old, many toddlers reach the age where they want to assert their independence through resistance and may resist examinations with hands and feet.

It may also happen that your toddler initially handles all visits to the pediatrician calmly, but then suddenly the mood changes, and the examinations are accompanied by crying and screaming from then on. In such cases, the fear of visiting the doctor is often associated with the onset of the terrible twos or stranger anxiety.

In addition to these rather vague fears, it is, of course, also possible that your toddler consciously associates the visit to the pediatrician with pain, for example, due to a previous examination that hurt them. Another trigger for the fear can be your own tension: your toddler has a keen sense for when you are nervous before a doctor's appointment. Your own restlessness can, in this case, be transmitted to your child.

How does the fear manifest itself?

The fear of visiting the doctor manifests differently from child to child. While some become very shy and withdraw, others react with crying, screaming, or even aggressive behavior. For some children, the fear even manifests as physical discomfort (stomach aches, dizziness, or vomiting). In general, fears in children are usually expressed much more directly and immediately than in adults. A special therapy, for example to uncover the fears, is usually not necessary.

In this video, pediatrician Ariane from LILLYDOO explains how you can help your little explorer overcome their fear of the doctor.

What can I do to help my child?

As an adult, it is easy for you to endure an unpleasant situation sometimes: you know that even annoying or painful procedures at the doctor’s office will pass and are meant to help you. Your young child lacks this knowledge and finds it difficult to assess and understand what is happening. To ensure that your little explorer feels taken seriously, it is important that you address their fears. This way, you can work together to overcome the fear. We have summarized some tips on how you can best help your toddler.

Before the doctor's appointment

• Discuss the doctor visit

  Some parents avoid talking to their toddler about the upcoming visit to the pediatrician. They assume that the child wouldn't understand what is happening anyway and that it would only cause unnecessary worry. However, it is important to communicate to your little one, at their eye level, what to expect. This way, there are no unpleasant surprises that could increase fear next time. Instead, mention the doctor visit occasionally in everyday conversations. This removes the status of an extraordinary, worrying event and instead shows that a doctor visit is a completely normal part of life.

• Show your child what happens at the doctor's office

  You can introduce your child to the situation in a playful way, for example, by treating the stuffed animals together at home or by reading them a suitable picture book that explains in an age-appropriate way what happens at a doctor's practice. Explain to your child what they see in the pictures and answer their questions honestly. Bet you that will spark your little explorer's curiosity? You can also simply take your toddler with you when your next routine check-up is due. Seeing that even mom or dad go to the doctor and nothing serious happens to them will give your child confidence.

• Find the right practice for you

  One of the most important prerequisites for a relaxed doctor’s visit is, of course, that both you and your little explorer can build a trusting relationship with the pediatrician. When searching, it’s best to ask other parents in your environment: which practice can they recommend? In addition to the trusting and patient manner of the doctor with your child, friendly medical assistants, an inviting atmosphere, and a colorful waiting room with play options contribute greatly to a successful visit. To help your child stay relaxed during the next doctor’s appointment, it’s also helpful for them to get to know the practice beforehand, before an actual examination is scheduled. Many practices offer their young patients the opportunity to visit independently of an examination to play relaxedly in the waiting room and get familiar with the atmosphere. Check directly with your practice whether such a visit is possible.

• Choose the Right Clothing

  To ensure the visit to the pediatrician doesn't take longer than necessary and your toddler isn't additionally stressed, you can dress them in "doctor-friendly" clothing beforehand that is easy to put on and take off.

During the doctor's appointment

• Create a comforting atmosphere

  Show your child during the treatment that you are always there for them and that nothing bad can happen. In this way, you convey safety and protection. If the treatment allows, you can hold your toddler on your lap during the procedure. Additionally, you can bring a cuddly blanket for your little explorer. The familiar blanket will soothe and warm them if it becomes necessary for them to stay undressed for the examination for a while. By explaining age-appropriately what is happening during the examination together with the doctor, your child can build trust.

• Provide Distraction

  If your toddler is still tense or if an uncomfortable procedure such as a vaccination or blood draw is upcoming, you can try to distract them to make the process a bit more pleasant. If you are breastfeeding, you can also offer your breast during the vaccination or blood draw to soothe your child. However, the best distraction is and remains laughter: it causes your little explorer to release happiness hormones that counteract stress and relax their muscles. Most pediatricians have some good tricks up their sleeve to make their young patients giggle. ;)

• When nothing helps: Look for a new practice

  If all preparations don't help or you have a bad feeling about your current doctor, of course, the option remains to change practices. Trust your gut feeling to decide whether it's necessary to start looking for a new practice.

Whether your little explorer was very brave or still a bit shy: in any case, he deserves a small reward and a big compliment after each examination. :)

We wish you a relaxed and complication-free doctor's appointment!