Suggestions for Overcoming Fear of Doctors in Children

Children often do not like to go to the doctor, as they do their doctor's experience when they are sick and feeling bad. Being examined by someone they don't know; Seeing unfamiliar tools, apparatus, and needles that they think might hurt them makes children afraid of going to the doctor. Some activities can be done to help children overcome their fear of doctors. Let's take a look at the suggestions.

To help children overcome their fears, it is first necessary to understand them properly.

Playing Doctor

Children, who have been acquainted with the apparatus used by doctors before, get rid of panic during the examination.

Playing games supports the emotional development of children. You can help children overcome their fear of doctors by playing doctor. Children reflect on their experiences in the game world in real life. Thus, he can develop a positive attitude by getting rid of the negative attitude towards going to the doctor. Experiencing what the doctor will do in the game, the child does not find it strange the situation he experiences when he gets sick and goes to be examined. It is helpful to play doctor games at home to overcome the fear of doctors. You can enrich the game you are playing with a toy doctor bag, and introduce the tools that children will encounter when they go to the doctor, through toys. Children, who have been acquainted with the apparatus used by doctors before, get rid of panic during the examination. Gifting him doctor clothes can make him feel closer to this profession. Children who play the role of the doctor in the game you play, experience this profession with the game.

Telling the truths

To calm down children who have a fear of the doctor, ignoring their fear does not work. So to him; It is necessary to avoid using sentences such as “nothing to be afraid of” or “it will not hurt at all”. These words prevent children from taking you seriously, and children feel misunderstood. Instead, you can state that you

accept that being sick and going to the doctor is not a fun activity and that you understand how he feels. You can raise awareness about it by explaining in a suitable language why you need to go to the doctor for a healthy life. The communication you will establish in this way. It helps to strengthen the relationship between you and to create a sense of trust. Accompanying children as parents is seen as one of the options to reduce fear of doctors. Children who see that their mother or father trust the doctor feel safe. She believes that we should not be afraid of the doctor.

It can be frightening for her to have children sit on a stretcher alone and wait for the doctor. Sitting on the lap of their mother or father during the examination can make them calmer. If it is not possible to take it in your arms, you can stay in touch by holding his hand. This support helps children feel empowered. In addition, giving children the right to choose during the examination helps them feel in control. “Do you want your throat or ears examined first?” Asking questions like this relaxes the children.

Animal look accessories in Medical Equipment

A visit to the doctor’s office should be a comfortable and engaging experience for children. If a patient is calm, then a physician can more quickly and effectively examine, diagnose, and treat them. In order to address child patient’s anxiety, Animals are familiar to children and create a calming atmosphere, making for a great experience in an often unfamiliar and sometimes frightening setting.

Although child-friendly, our pediatric exam tables are extremely sophisticated devices. Our instruments and accessories are used internationally in children’s hospitals.

No matter the need, Pedia Pals is there for you, your patients, and their families— to better help you to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 Informing children who are afraid of doctors about this issue helps them overcome their fears. It is possible to inform children about this issue with the help of various stories you choose. Interesting and educational storybooks with lots of photos come to your rescue. While reading a story, it is necessary to make comforting comments and to touch on the lives of children.

Doctors in stories; It should be emphasized that there are good people who love children and work to protect their health. You can enable children to identify themselves with the hero in the stories you will tell. You can help him express his feelings by asking questions while telling a story. “What do you think the doctor will do now, how do you think the hero of the story is feeling right now?” Asking questions like these pushes it easier for children to share their feelings. Children's fears should never be condemned. As children express their feelings and see that they are understood, they are relieved and encouraged to overcome their fears.

In child development, it is often necessary to focus on what children can do, not what they cannot do. It is necessary to reward this behavior with a small reinforcer after the doctor's examinations, where the children remain calm. As a reinforcement, you can exhibit behaviors such as hugging and kissing him, or you can buy him a small gift or do an activity he wants together. Behaviors reinforced in this way persist longer and help encourage children to overcome their fears.

Doctor Selection and Examination Process

 If you think the doctor is the cause of your fear, you can choose a different doctor.

When choosing a doctor for children, it is necessary to consider the personality traits of the doctor as well as knowledge and education. For this reason, when choosing a pediatrician, it is necessary to choose a caring, patient, and understanding doctor. Fear of the doctor in children can occur due to what happened during the examination, or it can be caused by the doctor. If you think the doctor is the cause of your fear, you can choose a different doctor. In addition, the physical conditions of the environment where the children will be examined are also important. In an environment with cute decorations and tiny toys, children feel safe and do not find the environment strange.

Children can become more nervous while waiting their turn for an appointment. For this reason, making an appointment in advance to shorten the waiting time prevents the children from getting nervous. Going to check-up appointments completely helps children understand that they can go when they feel better. He has also had good experiences with the doctor's examination. If the children are old enough to express themselves, it is necessary to let the doctor answer the questions asked him. It is necessary to encourage him to find the position where he feels most comfortable during the examination. If the children want, they should be allowed to accompany a favorite toy when they go to the examination. This support makes him feel safe. Again, the doctor's affectionate approach or giving a small gift helps children leave the examination with more positive emotions.