Thoughts on Making Pediatrician Visits Easier

I left my my twins’ 12-month well child checks near tears. My goal was to make it to the car before I fell apart. Before that appointment I’d always had a second set of hands with me but I figured surely by age one I had this routine down.

But then the doctor was nearly an hour behind schedule. And then the double stroller didn’t fit in the room which meant I had no place to strap one of them. And then they each got multiple shots. And then it basically all fell apart as we tore up the room and I got flustered and they were both in tears. I wasn’t far behind them.

Maybe you’ve been there too?

I’ve spent the last five years working in a pediatric clinic setting and in this post I’m going to share with you seven things that I’ve seen (and learned personally!) that will make your pediatrician visits run more smoothly.

• Whenever possible, grab the earliest appointment time OR the first after lunch. All it takes is one patient in front of you to be late or to have an emergency and your provider’s whole day gets behind. Trust me, this is as hard for them as it is for you. Most clinics start around 8 am and have a lunch from 12-1 pm. So I now always grab my own appointments at 8 am or 1 pm. Even if this interrupts naps/wake-up times it may be worth it if you don’t have to wait extra time in the (germy) waiting room! Do your best to have patience and grace with the staff if your provider is running behind schedule. It is ALWAYS their goal to keep everything running smoothly. If your doctor does need to spend extra time with a family before you, know that if your child needed extra time they would give that to you as well.

• Bring extra hands! After my kids 12-month well check I grabbed whoever was free to help me! My sweet elderly neighbor was often the selected volunteer. She’d hold one of the twins while I’d help with the assessment/shots/comforting of the other twin. The gift of extra loving adults can never be underestimated!

• Come prepared. This is the time to break out the fun snacks, new books and extra lovies/special toys. They help so much!

• Think about the language you use when you’re talking about healthcare. Your kids pick up on this! If your tone is always frustrated/anxious/upset when you’re talking about healthcare, your kids will notice this. Using positive words and tones goes a long way. Even if you’re feeling nervous (or they are) try to frame it in a way that sets your provider and their team up as “helpers.” You can try things like, “I can tell you’re feeling nervous and that’s okay. Dr. Brown is someone who helps us to stay healthy and well.”

• Medical play also goes a long way! Kids learn through play and hands-on tactile experiences. The more comfortable they are with tools like blood pressure cuffs and stethoscopes, the easier time your child’s provider will have getting the information they need during the appointment. This does not have to be expensive, just a very simple medical play kit works great!

• Track your child’s symptoms. The more information you bring with you to your appointment, the more efficient it will be. I’ve created some tracking tools that you can grab here for some of the most common symptoms we see. Take videos of your child’s nighttime coughing spells. Take photos of rashes you’re worried about so your provider can see how they’re changing over time. The more information, the better!

• Remember that you can be both honest and also reassuring. Never tell your child that a shot or procedure won’t be painful. This is confusing to them and can break trust. Instead, be honest but reassure them with your presence and focus on what comes AFTER the painful part.

  For example, if your child is anxious about a shot, you can try something like, “I know this is scary but the poke is super fast and I will be with you the whole time. As soon as it’s done I brought a special treat for you to have.” If your child gets very worked up knowing information too far in advance, it’s okay to say something like, “I’m not exactly sure what will happen at today’s appointment but no matter what happens I will be right with you holding your hand.” You may not want to share ten hours before the appointment that they’ll be getting shots but you can always reassure them with your presence. Some kids like to have as much information as possible as soon as they can. Not knowing is more anxiety producing for them. It’s a bit of a balance and juggle to figure out what works best for your individual kid.

Sometimes, despite all of our best efforts, we will all leave the office flustered and sweaty and ready for a nap! But hopefully some of these tips will make your visits just a touch easier. We got this! And when we don’t, that’s okay too. We’ll have plenty of other opportunities to try again!