Is your child afraid of doctors?A simple visit to the clinic for a preventive examination turns into a real test for you, not to mention vaccinations, blood tests and visits to the dentist? The child becomes uncontrollable, breaks free from your hands, screams and tries to run away? This picture is probably painfully familiar to a huge number of young parents. So what to do in such a situation? Do you really have to resign yourself and go to the clinic as if to hard labor? However, this is also not a solution - after all, unfortunately, absolutely no one is insured against diseases. And there is no guarantee that the baby will not end up in the hospital. And imagine how stressful this will be for him. It would seem that a real vicious circle is emerging, from which there is no way out. However, child psychologists are in a hurry to reassure parents - there are still ways to eliminate this problem.
How to cope with the fear of the child?
Of course, to eliminate this problem, as ifby magic, is unlikely to succeed. However, with the desire of parents, a certain amount of patience and endurance, it is still possible to cope with a child's panic fear of doctors. Below is a more detailed description of how to do this yourself:
- A detailed story
Very important before you enter the officeto the doctor, tell the child in great detail what they will do with him there. Never lie to the child - for example, do not tell him that the doctor will only listen to him if you know that the child is about to be vaccinated. Otherwise, the next time you really just need to get a certificate, you are unlikely to make the child come into the office of his own free will.
- Do not hide what might be hurting
The same applies to possible painsensations. You shouldn't tell your child that he won't even feel the injection - because in reality this is absolutely not true. And as a result, the child may also lose all trust in you. Have you ever noticed that a child often doesn't pay much attention to such minor injuries as cat scratches or scraped knees? And in the doctor's office, during certain manipulations, this same little one cries desperately. Have you ever wondered why this happens, because the pain is about the same in intensity? Child psychologists explain this feature by the fact that the child is most afraid of the unknown.
- Control your words and emotions
Even if the child is about toa really complicated procedure or, even worse, a surgical intervention, and you yourself are really very worried, do not show it in any way. The child should not notice your anxiety under any circumstances - otherwise, he will also start to worry and be capricious.
- Do not go into colorful details
Despite the fact that the child needsIt is enough to tell in detail what will happen to him in the doctor's office, do not go to extremes - the child does not need to know exactly how much blood will be taken from him and what kind of needle will be used for the vaccination. After such details, the child will only get worried - so do not go into these details, unless, of course, the child himself is interested - in this case, it is still necessary to tell in a language accessible to him.
- Beat the process
If a child's fear of doctors is too strong,Child psychologists advise parents to act out this situation with their child before each visit to the doctor. Let the child be not only a patient, but also a doctor. Let the child, of course, with your help, take blood from a doll or give it a shot - this way the child will get an idea of why the doctor performs this or that manipulation.
- Never frighten a child by doctors
The most serious mistake possibleto allow - is to scare the child with doctors. The child must know for sure that doctors will never offend him without reason. And all actions performed by the doctor are necessary so that the child does not get sick. And if the child is afraid of doctors and does not trust them, the treatment process will be quite problematic for both the child and the doctors.
- Promise a child a reward for courage
As a rule, child psychologists are extremely reluctantrecommend that parents try to get the desired behavior from the child with the help of sweets or toys. The only exception is visits to the doctor. The child must know for sure that his courage will be rewarded. This is a fairly strong incentive.
A child is afraid of a dentist
Sometimes the problem is much more specific.specification - the child is afraid of a particular doctor, most often a dentist. If the child is afraid of the dentist, treatment and even just a preventive examination become almost impossible. And this is not surprising - if you can still hold the child in order to give an injection, then forcing him to open his mouth is simply unrealistic. However, caries should not be left untreated under any circumstances - after all, bad teeth not only hurt, but also increase the risk that permanent teeth will very quickly begin to deteriorate. This is why parents should make every conceivable and inconceivable effort to make the child open his mouth in the dentist's chair. Child psychologists advise parents to be very careful when choosing a pediatric dentist - first of all, the child should like him. Be sure to introduce the child to the doctor in advance and observe their relationship. And it will be extremely useful for the child to get comfortable in advance - then he will not be afraid of an unfamiliar environment. And, of course, parents should show miracles of ingenuity and diplomacy - the child should finally open his mouth. And remember that the child is not afraid of the doctor forever - very soon your baby will grow up, and you will no longer have any problems with visits to the doctor! And you will remember today's fears with a smile. We recommend reading: