{"id":6311,"date":"2019-05-16T15:30:02","date_gmt":"2019-05-16T22:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifestyle.org\/?p=6311"},"modified":"2023-05-19T09:32:39","modified_gmt":"2023-05-19T16:32:39","slug":"when-your-child-is-afraid-to-see-the-doctor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifestyle.org\/when-your-child-is-afraid-to-see-the-doctor\/","title":{"rendered":"When Your Child Is Afraid To See The Doctor"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/figure>\n

Many kids are anxious about going to the doctor, and a routine visit can turn into a major meltdown. <\/p>\n

A big part of that fear is that kids don’t know what to expect. They\u2019re afraid of shots (who isn\u2019t?), and their imagination runs wild thinking everything is going to hurt. <\/p>\n

According to child psychologists, parents can
\nhelp their kids manage their anxiety by explaining how the doctor\u2019s appointment
\nwill go. The more detailed the explanation, the less anxious the child will be.\n<\/p>\n

Talk to
\nyour Child <\/strong><\/p>\n

Ask your child why they are nervous and give
\nthem a chance to share their worries. If your child says, \u201cI\u2019m scared,\u201d help
\nthem figure out exactly what it is that\u2019s making them feel uneasy. <\/p>\n

If they can\u2019t pinpoint why they\u2019re afraid, start
\nwalking them through the process and ask them to stop you when something sounds
\nscary. <\/p>\n

Validate
\nyour Child\u2019s Feelings<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a parent of a child who\u2019s afraid to go to the doctor, your first instinct is to reassure them that everything will be okay. While there\u2019s nothing wrong with that, make sure your child feels heard. <\/p>\n

Start by validating their feelings by letting them know you understand how they feel. Share an experience of a time when you were nervous and how you overcame it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t
\nMake Promises You Can\u2019t Keep<\/strong><\/p>\n

If your child asks, \u201cAm I going to get a shot?\u201d,
\ntell the truth. <\/p>\n

Studies show that kids who aren\u2019t expecting a shot get a lot more upset than kids who have had time to prepare.<\/p>\n

Also, resist the urge to promise it\u2019ll be painless. Instead, be open about what you know and don\u2019t know. Emphasize that going to the doctor is how we stay healthy; and healthier people have fewer visits to the doctor.<\/p>\n

Give
\nyour Child Something to Look Forward to<\/strong><\/p>\n

If your child knows that you\u2019ll be doing something fun together after the doctor\u2019s appointment, they might be less afraid. However, don\u2019t give the impression that they will lose out on the treat if they\u2019re not brave. <\/p>\n

The point is to give your child something to look forward to next time, not to reward or punish them. Don\u2019t forget to tell them how well they did when you leave the doctor\u2019s office. <\/p>\n

When
\nall Else Fails <\/strong><\/p>\n

Some kids have latrophobia, which is an irrational fear of doctors and hospitals. They are not just anxious about doctor\u2019s visits; they are deathly afraid of them. <\/p>\n

In these cases, therapy is the way to go as it can help the child identify the cause of the phobia and overcome it eventually. <\/p>\n

You want your child to have a positive association with seeing their doctor. Reduce their fear and increase their trust with these tips.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many kids are anxious about going to the doctor, and a routine visit can turn into a major meltdown. A big part of that fear is that kids don’t know what to expect. They\u2019re afraid of shots (who isn\u2019t?), and their imagination runs wild thinking everything is going to hurt. According to child psychologists, parents…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3461,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1564,1587,285],"aware":[1753],"class_list":["post-6311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","tag-childrens-health","tag-fear-of-doctors","tag-parenting","aware-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhen Your Child Is Afraid To See The Doctor - Lifestyle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lifestyle.org\/when-your-child-is-afraid-to-see-the-doctor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When Your Child Is Afraid To See The Doctor - Lifestyle\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Many kids are anxious about going to the doctor, and a routine visit can turn into a major meltdown. 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