Hands up if you’ve ever felt a teeny bit nervous before going to see your GP or dentist. That’s all of us, right? So it’s probably no surprise your child might also feel anxious about their medical or dental visits.
From the unfamiliar smells to the strange-looking equipment, there’s a lot your little one won’t have experienced before. Luckily there are easy ways you can prepare your little one for a visit to the doctor or dentist.
Dr Milad Shadrooh, aka The Singing Dentist, and Dr Stephanie Ooi, a GP and mum-of-two, share their top tips.
Start early
Helping your child get used to the doctors or dentists is a great way to ease any fears. Which is why Dr Shadrooh suggests taking them for their first dental appointment when they are still a baby.
He says, “Trying to get them in before their first birthday is really good because then they’ll get used to the sights, sounds and smells of the dental clinic. It will just become a normalised thing like going to get a haircut. Bringing them from an early age also allows us to monitor their teeth. There’s nothing to be scared of if you don’t need anything done. Prevention of dental disease is one of the best ways of never having a bad experience at the dentist.”
Role play doctors and dentists
Children love imaginative play. And you can use that to help prepare them for their appointment. Dr Ooi says, “Children can be scared of the unknown, which is normal and understandable. Role play can help children to feel more familiar with what might happen at an appointment, for example the use of stethoscopes. Have a bit of fun with it and let your child be the doctor.” You could even give them some toilet roll to use as bandages on their teddies.
And you can do the same before a visit to the dentist. Dr Shadrooh says, “You can explain to your child that they need to give the dentist a big smile and open their mouth really wide and let them count their teeth. You could get them to practise at home, lying down on their bed as if they were at the dentists. You can pretend to count their teeth, or your child can pretend they are the dentist and are doing the dental procedure on a toy.”
Watch cartoons and read books together
Another simple way to prepare your child is by watching cartoons where the characters visit the doctor or dentist. You’ll also find plenty of useful picture books at your local library.
Dr Ooi says, “Reading themed books or watching a programme on TV helps children feel more familiar with the experience.” Dr Shadrooh agrees. He says, “There are so many video resources out there on the internet. There are also books that can help prepare your child for what a visit to the dentist is like. That will be really useful, especially if they are older and have never been to the dentist.”
Hide your own fears
Your child will pick up on any nerves you have, so it’s important to stay relaxed in the run up to - and during - their visit.
Dr Shadrooh says, “fears and phobias are learnt throughout our life based on our experiences and what we’re told by other people. When it comes to a fear of the dentist that’s usually something that has been ed on to them by nervous parents or being told it’s scary by friends at school or siblings. If you’re a nervous parent, it’s important to act chilled around your child because they’ll pick up on your nervous energy and be scared for no reason.”
Involve your child as much as possible
Whether it’s the outfit they are wearing or what cup they want to drink from, your child likes to have some control over their day. You can use this for your prep work ahead of their appointment. Dr Ooi says, “Get them involved. Maybe they can help you pack a bag or take their favourite toy with them.”
She also suggests giving your little one time to get used to the idea of their doctor or dentist visit. “Give your child some notice. This will give you both a chance to prepare! It may vary from child to child how much time you think they need. Some parents feel their little ones need a couple of days to chat about it, whereas some may think the day before is ok.”
Use the ‘Tell, Show, Do’ model
Knowing what is going to happen during their appointment can help your little one relax. Dr Shadrooh uses a ‘Tell, Show, Do’ technique. He says, “We tell the child what we’re going to do, then we show them and then we do it. For example, you might want to encourage your child to come into the dentist with their special cuddly toy. I’ll tell them I need to count their teeth, then I’ll pretend to count the toy’s teeth. After that I'll count the child’s teeth. Tell, Show, Do is something you can try at home to help prepare your child for the sequence of events we’d use.”
Praise your child
If your child gets upset during their appointment, that’s okay. Dr Ooi says, “Don’t worry if it all goes downhill. As a GP and mum, it’s really understandable for this to happen! The important thing is to try and talk about the visit positively and give them plenty of encouragement and praise afterwards.” Dr Shadrooh agrees. “If I ever see a child getting upset that’s fine: we meet them, let them see the environment and give them a high five if we can! Then we’d give hygiene advice to the mum or the dad.”
