Giveaway and Guest Post: Taking Your Child to the Doctor? Five Tips to Help Them Say “Ah” with Confidence by Nicole Fonovich,
Welcome to our stop on the PR by the Book Annual Holiday Book Blog Tour!
Enjoy this Guest Post and read to the end for a special Giveaway from the Author!
Winter is on its way and everyone knows what that means. Not skiing, not hot chocolate, not kissing under the mistletoe. Colder temps bring cold and flu season, sick kids and doctor’s offices. (Cue sniffles and sneezing.) Any self-preserving individual will avoid sick people like the plague. But if you’re the parent of a young child you might not have a choice. Here are five life-changing tips for bringing your sick child to the doctor’s office and surviving the sniffle season ahead.
1. Avoid it at all costs.
Crying babies, snotty noses, heat-seeking germ missiles that love to embed themselves inside busy working mothers. These are all the things that await you at the doctor’s office. So if you can avoid it, do. The most efficient way is to have your child immunized. This requires some preemptive planning. Go early, the sooner the better. That way you can avoid all the mayhem of bringing a sick child to a doctor’s office full of other sick kids.
2. Choose wisely.
When it comes to sticking sharp things into your child’s skin, the friendlier the better. Don’t just settle for the first pediatrician that accepts your health insurance.Look for a doctor who works well with your child’s personality. Ideally it is someone who is great at distractions. “Dear sick little baby, here is a cute, fuzzy little bear.” The needle will be in and out before your baby knows what hit her. Be picky when it comes to your child’s doctor. You’re the one who will end up paying in the car ride home.
3. When all else fails…play doctor!
So, you’ve done your best. You got your child immunized; you disinfected every surface in your house; you even kept her away from the coughing kid at the playground. But, she still came down with the flu. What's worse than a sick, irritable kid? A sick kid who is terrified of the doctor. You have no choice. She’s spiked a fever and it’s not coming down. Before you drag baby to the doctor, prepare her for what to expect. Buy a toy doctor kit with things like a stethoscope, shot dispenser, and a fake plastic hammer. She will become familiar with the sites and sounds of the doctor and associate them with fun rather than fear.
4. In the waiting room, play some more.
Waiting rooms are germy places, and the last thing you want is to get infected yourself or to make your child even sicker. This is where your handy dandy iPad comes in use. It can provide great entertainment and distraction without having to share any germs.
5. Take control for your baby.
Be a model for your child. Project confidence, not fear when at the doctor. Make sure to ask plenty of questions and get all the answers you need. Bring a pen and paper, take notes, and be inquisitive. This helps your child see the doctor as a resource for help and information. There’s no need for nervous-
ness here.
With these tips you can turn a potentially dreadful experience into a lot of fun for your child (and yourself), one that they will be eager to repeat in the future. Regular doctor’s visits will be a piece of cake after this, allowing children to enjoy an important part of a lifetime of health benefits.
About the Author:
Nicole and Damir Fonovich are co-authors of Luca Lashes Visits the Doctor, available at all app/ebook marketplaces. For more helpful suggestions, visit the Luca Lashes YouTube Channel and LucaLashes.com.
Enter the Luca Lashes contest!
Comment on THIS POST with your most interesting story of taking your kid(s) to the doctor and you’ll be entered to win a gift pack complete with a toy doctor kit, fun bandaids and a $20 Baskin Robbins gift card for use after their next appointment! The winning comment will be selected by the author!
When my daughter was about 6 years old, I had to take her to the doctor because she wasn't feeling well. The doctor said the statement "Well let's nip this in the bud" and you should have seen my daughter's face! She cried out "No! I don't want a shot in the butt!". She clearly misunderstood that saying and we all just died laughing! My daughter is now 28 years old and to this day it still makes us laugh!
ReplyDeletejanet3rdgrade@yahoo.com
My daughters had to go their doctor to have warts removed. My 6yo was terrified. The dr was so kind and explained everything that was going to take place. Needless to say, it hurt and she started crying. The dr says now watch this I am going to do a magic trick. He dumped the rest of the liquid nitrogen on the floor and it made a big white pouf and then just disappeared. My daughter was in awe. That's all she could talk about after that!
ReplyDeleteWhen I took my son to the ear doctor for his checkup he was apprehensive. The doctor had never seen another child behave in this manner and was impressed and amazed. My son was curious and involved with the exam and the doctor produced a quarter for him out of thin air. He still talks about his ear doctor even though he is a big boy now.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago when we visited the doctor for my little boy's checkup he was intrigued with the doctor and his office. He spoke like an adult to the doctor, asking him many questions and then when we left he mentioned that he was going to be a doctor too. The doctor said Yes, I know that. My son is a pediatrician.
ReplyDeleteI took my then 4 year old son to the doctor and he would not cooperate. He kept moving around and not paying attention to the soc. The doc finally said, "Looks like someone is spoiled". I told him that I had been his mother for only 2 weeks, he was newly adopted and that he was a long-time victim of child abuse and neglect. Never went back to that doctor again.
ReplyDelete