Do you remember your reaction when you were still a kid and your parents told you that you are going to visit a doctor? Does it sound good to you when you heard the word doctor or even a hospital, health center or just a clinic? Children are hesitant to visit a doctor because they are not yet aware that this is for their own good. In order for this situation to be avoided, parents should do something about it. Visiting a doctor is a trauma for them. This is due to some bad experiences that they encountered when they first visited their doctor. But, whatever the reasons are, parents need to do something in order to lessen the fear of their children going to their doctor’s clinic. This is one of the roles of the parents. In the first place, parents will be the one to carry the burden whenever they find hard to convince or to bring their children to a doctor. Here are some tips on how to do it:

1. Let her feel that it is not a big issue. Show the kid that visiting a doctor is not a big issue. Do not scare him about going to the doctor. When you are going to visit the doctor, you should keep it simple. Before visiting the doctor, make an assurance to your child that the doctor is a good or friendly doctor. Make him also understand that like some kids, he also needs to see a doctor to make sure that everything will be okay for them.

2. When talking about the doctor always show a smile. You should smile when you are having a conversation regarding the plan of visiting his or her doctor. This will help them to have an idea that there is no reason for them to be scared and that everything is going to be all right. Never show any sign of nervousness or worry when you are about to go to the doctor’s clinic. Always smile and show to him that there is no reason to worry or to be scared.

3. Never say anything that would scare the child. If the child asks you to give him more details, don’t give him those details or information that would cause the child to worry. Don’t give the child too many details, especially if the child is old enough to understand those things. If this is a serious thing, let the doctor to be the one to explain about it to your child and let him make the assurance that there is nothing to worry about.

4. When you are going to play, you can sometimes pretend to be a doctor. This may help them to become at ease when they going to visit a doctor. This will lessen their fear and make them think that going to a doctor is going to be fine and that it is going to be fun. They might also think that the doctor is friendly and he will not harm them, since them seeing you (the parent) as an example of a doctor.

5. Bring a toy that they can play with when visiting to a doctor. Bring their favourite toy or any of their toys so that they can still play while waiting or while in the process of their check up. This might help them to feel more relaxed and that they are safe while they are in the doctor’s clinic.

6. Give him a prize when you have a successful visit, in order for him to get motivated or inspired. This might help the child to decide to visit the doctor more often.

We can’t avoid visiting the doctor for so many reasons. But one reason is for our health and for our child’s health. Parents can’t take risks, especially regarding to their child’s health. And from the start, it is already a must that parents should bring their child to a doctor.

James Madhok

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