Why do Children Fear Doctors

 

 I can hear a faint scream of a child coming from the hallway beyond the entrance of the hospital.


"Doctora will give you injections if you don't shut up!!!!" I heard a female's voice saying out loud.

The child keeps on screaming anyway, and it keeps on getting louder and louder until it reaches the front door of the clinic. The door opened, a head popped inside and asked, " Is doctora here?"

"Yes, po" answered my smiling medical assistant.

The mother entered carrying her kicking, crying, screaming, scratching and swearing 4 year old little girl inside the clinic. The mother was holding her child tightly. She was trying to restrain her.

The mother, in between screams and sobs, keeps on repeating ," If you don't keep quiet, this doctor will inject you", she pinches her child at the side of the body or sometimes just smacks the kid with her fist in front of me .

Why do children fear doctors?

1. Because they are afraid of the pain they will get ,when they visit the clinic.

Anticipating pain can be very really scary especially  for a child. Be nice and warm ,and explain carefully that he will just come for a check up. Or if they are really going for vaccine shots ,explain that this is a needed procedure undergone by all children ,and that, when you were a kid, you got them too. 

2. Because the child is afraid that she might be left with somebody she doesn't know.

Point out  that you will not leave him while you are in the doctors clinic. In fact , it's okay to hold his hand or cuddle him(if he's a toddler)  while in the clinic.

3. Because parents tell their children that  "The doctor will give you injections." , though we usually don't.

Please stop making doctors your personal monsters. And please stop threatening children that if they don't eat their vegetables or just being unruly the doctor will give them injections. These kinds of threat doesn't solve your problems or I doubt it if it can make your kids better persons.

4. Because some children had previous experience of being admitted in the hospital. (Who really hated their stay, but who wouldn't ?)

 Even  the bravest child in the land  can be broken by a few pokes of the needle. So pleases explain carefully and simply ,and, stop reliving the bad experience. And refrain from telling them that if they don't drink their milk I will have you admitted...though I admit, it can be very tempting at times.

And finally,

A few days or few hours before the visit to the doctor, inform your child that you will see the doctor for consultation (It's like warming them up). Demonstrate and practice how to say "Ahh!" at home . Tell him that the doctor will hear his heartbeat and his deep breaths. Tell him that the doctor wants to know where it hurts. Tell him you can say hello and wave goodbye to the doctor.

There is no reason why your next visit to the doctor will be unpleasant.

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