Taking your child to the pediatrician can be stressful. You have to successfully manage your child’s stress level and soothe them while giving and receiving vital information with the doctor. We asked several pediatricians what they see in typical visits that parents could correct to make the whole experience less stressful and more beneficial for the child.
We hope your kids will be healthy this year, but odds are that—especially in the months of cold and flu season—you’ll make a least a couple of visits to their doctor. Whether you’re at the pediatrician for a well-child checkup or a sick visit, here is how to get the most from your child’s pediatrician visit.
1. Don’t schedule a visit during your child’s nap time. There may occasionally be situations where the doctor is booked and the only available appointment is during nap time. But do your best to avoid this. A sleepy child is a grumpy child, making it harder for the doctor to assess their condition, and harder for you to manage them during your discussion. Try to schedule earlier in the day as doctors tend to get behind as the day goes on and you will have to wait longer in the afternoon.
2. Be observant beforehand. The more specific you can be with regard to your child’s symptoms, the more accurately your doctor can diagnose. Use our Sick and Well Visit Worksheets to jot down the details before you get there, along with questions you’d like to ask. You can use the space at the bottom to make notes about the feedback you get from the doctor and treatment instructions.
3. Don’t bring multiple children for one appointment slot. If you need for more than one of your children to be seen or treated, make sure you’re clear about that when you set the appointment. Doing so will insure your doctor schedules adequate time to assess two patients, and doesn’t cut one of your kids—or another waiting patient—short.
4. Turn off your cell phone. Once you reach the treatment area, turn off your cell phone so you can focus on your child and your conversation with the doctor.
5. Prep your kid with happy thoughts. Kids often take their cues from us as to whether they should be stressed about something. When you talk about the visit to the pediatrician beforehand, don’t insinuate that there might be something painful or unpleasant involved. Tell you child that the pediatrician is his friend who wants to help him feel better—and will probably give him a sticker when he leaves.
