Future Health's
Bringing your child to the doctor
Bringing your child to the doctor .
Dr Radha Rajagopalan
HOD-Pediatrics
The relationship between the doctor and your child starts from birth. Your pediatrician knows the nuances and milestones that your child must attain at particular ages. The babies who don't protest visiting the doctor for vaccinations, start their tantrums usually at the age of 15 months, when they come in for another vaccination appointment. That's when they seem to associate the doctor with injections. More often than not, the children start crying at the very mention of the doctor or as soon as they see the doctor's clinic. Some of the youngsters will not allow the doctor to examine them and will hide in their mother's sari. So it is very important for every mother to create a very good rapport with their child's doctor. Tell your children who their doctor is, what s/he does and why s/he gives medicines and injections. If your child falls sick and gets treated, you could impress upon your child that s/he got better because the doctor gave him the medicines.
When you take your children for a check up, tell them that they will not get an injection that day. But before that visit, make sure you know that there will not be a vaccination. Do not threaten your children with taking them to the doctor for injections if they do not obey you or do something wrong. That will create the impression of their doctor being a terror. The more comfortable your children are with their doctor, the better it is for them. And do not lie to your children about injections if you can help it. That will not only teach them to lie, but your child will not trust you about his doctor.
I have seen a lot of children who cooperate because of the real hope of getting better. When this type of confidence is instilled by the parents, your doctor can do the rest!