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White Coat Anxiety
9 Ways to Make Doctor's Visits Less Traumatic By Nancy Vondrak
You're approaching the pediatrician's medical office building, and your toddler gulps in fear. He's nervous, anxious and intimidated. It's called "white coat anxiety," and people of all ages can experience it – including toddlers.
While your terrified toddler may provoke his own anxiety as well as yours, doctor appointments are a fact of his young life. Utilizing the following suggestions may turn medical exam mayhem into fun field trips for both of you!
- Stay positive and calm. "If a parent has a positive, self-assured attitude about going to the doctor, the child picks up on that sense of confidence, too," says Cheryl Groner, a licensed social worker and the clinical supervisor for Tot-Line, a Cleveland-area telephone support line for parents of children through age 5.
- Wait until the day of the visit to tell your toddler he is going to the doctor. This cuts down on anticipatory anxiety. Terri Tony, a mother of four from Macedonia, Ohio, usually tells her 2-year-old daughter that morning if she has a doctor appointment. "I don't make a big deal about it and haven't really had a problem with any of my children being afraid to go to the doctor," she says.
- Take one of your child's security objects with you, such as a favorite blanket or toy. Lisa Gillota, a mother of three from Northfield Center, Ohio, finds that different tactics are required depending on whether her 2-year-old daughter is going for a well checkup or a sick visit. "If my daughter is sick, words of clever explanation would be wasted on her," says Gillota. "I simply bring along her comfort items, such as her blankie, a favorite stuffed animal and a sippy cup."
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