4 Tips To Help Your Child Stop Being Afraid Of The Doctor

One of the most common fears during childhood is to be afraid of the doctor. We see it especially in the ages 2 and 5 years. Is this the case with your child? In that case, the following article will be of interest to you. We are going to take up some tips that will help your child overcome this fear.

But first we want to make it clear that it is normal for children to feel insecure and anxious when they have to go to the doctor. They will find themselves in an unknown situation where a person outside their immediate environment invades their personal space. In some cases, they will also perform procedures that cause some degree of pain or discomfort.

4 tips to help your child stop being afraid of the doctor

1. Prepare your child for the doctor’s appointment well in advance

If your child experiences a visit to the doctor as something threatening and dangerous, it is important that they are informed several days in advance that they will go to the doctor. This helps in the sense that the child will not be surprised and can adapt to the idea a little at a time.

2. Communicate security and safety

As a mom or dad in this situation, you need to be a source of support and security. You can do this by declaring that you will be with them at all times during the doctor’s visit. They should not have to worry, because you will be there to give them what they need.

You can also, to make the child feel safer, ask him to choose one of his favorite toys or an object (a stuffed animal, a doll, a blanket, etc.) to take to the BVC.

3. Play doctor with them and tell them stories about how it goes at BVC

A good method that will make your child less afraid of the doctor is to play games related to doctors and healthcare with them. In a playful way, the child then has the opportunity to experience the roles of doctor or nurse and patient. They also learn what procedures they will go through.

Another good method is to find a children’s book about a doctor’s surgery or a hospital and read it together. In this way, the child learns everything about the environment in which the doctor works, which reduces their insecurity.

4. Avoid negative comments about the work of healthcare professionals

Sometimes adults complain and criticize the work of healthcare professionals. They may share with the child their bad experiences with care. If you have a child who is afraid to go to the doctor, you should avoid making negative comments so that your child can hear it. This will only make their fears greater.

As a parent, you need to convey that doctors are there to help people and not hurt them. It must be clear that going to the doctor is not about punishment. Instead, it has to do with a need to be healthy and be able to fully enjoy life.

Fear or phobia of the doctor?

If you think your child’s fear of going to the doctor is irrational or excessive, you may be dealing with something that is not just a childish fear. You may be dealing with a phobia. Specifically, your child may suffer from what is called iatrophobia .

In this case, the above advice will certainly not serve to reduce or stop the problem. We recommend that you seek help from a psychologist who specializes in treating phobias if you suspect that your child is suffering from it.

What is iatrophobia?

Iatrophobia is a type of social phobia whose main characteristic is to experience an extreme and irrational fear of doctors or health care professionals in general. People who suffer from this disorder, in these situations, feel intense discomfort, anxiety and may even have panic attacks.

The importance of helping a child who is afraid of the doctor

In conclusion, it is important to treat a fear of going to the doctor as soon as you discover the problem. Ultimately, it is inevitable to go to the doctor from time to time, both in childhood and for the rest of your life.

As soon as your child understands that this person in a white coat is their friend and not their enemy, they will be able to make a doctor’s visit in a more relaxed and less anxious way.