Good morning y'all,
Happy Thursday morning to you. So while away on vacation my daughter chipped her tooth, on soft bread of all things. After my shock and worry (yes I'm a worrier, who would have thought lol), we established the fact that she isn't experiencing pain with cold or hot food or drinks. However, with that being said its only right that we have it looked at!
Now, please let me know im not the only mom who has a child who still dreads the dentist. Neither one of my children have ever had a cavity or any dental "work" done. Other than a routine cleaning. But they always dread the possibility I guess.
What are some ways you have tried to ease your childrens mind when they are going to the Doctors or Dentist?
We have read books, watched kid friendly YouTube videos, looked at the wonderful website of our dentists office and all the wonderful reasons he lives working with children.
But yet, she's still nervous.
I can't exactly blame her though. I was always a bit apprehensive around dentists myself. What is it with dentists anyways? Doctors give shots, IVs, tests we aren't always fond of, surgeries, stitches and a plethora of other things that aren't exactly enjoyable. So why do dentists give us the bad vibes?
They are equally as nice and want just as much to help our over all well being.
Try telling that to my daughter though. Its much easier said than believed im afraid.
Did you know that some dentists office allow "fun visits"? I didnt even know this was a thing until we became patients at our new office. These are visits prior to your appointment that are nothing but fun. The children get to familiarize them selves with the staff, the surroundings all in a calm and natural environment. So on their visit they are a bit more at ease and in some cases even looking forward to it.
Some ways you can help your child feel more comfortable when at the dentist or doctors office or even at a hospital visit are....
Doctors, Dentists and Hospital stays or tests
-Always be honest
-Don't use scary language like "painful" or "hurts".
- Don't tell your child about an appointment months ahead of time to give them time to build nerves and anxiety about the appt.
-practice anxiety coping skills like meditation, breathing exercises, etc
-bring sunglasses. Sometimes not staring into dentists bright lights help to calm a child.
- Ask if they allow a "fun visit"
-practice at home with good dental hygiene
-start them young (dentist)
- Ask if they can bring along their special friend (stuffy)
- read children's books about going to the dentist (libraries are good resources)
- Bring some comforts from home while at the hospital. Perhaps a stuffed toy, blanket, music. Etc
- If given the opportunity ask for a child life specialist. They are amazing at helping both children and parents feel at ease. They even explain procedures through play and in terms your child understands.(At hospitals)
- Again their are plenty of books for children about all kinds of hospital related tests and stays.
While some of those may work for you and your children. Some may not. Your child can often experience anxiety during these types of appointments. Asking your children to focus on their five senses is a great way to distract them from their fears and anxieties using mindfullness. One common way to do this is through the 5,4,3,2,1 which is like a scavenger hunt. Ask your children to:
Point out FIVE things they see around them in the waiting room. Feel free to ask them to describe each item and what they like about it, or what it reminds them of.
Have them touch FOUR things. It could be their hair, clothing, chair, your purse, etc. Ask them to describe what each item feels like.
Can they find THREE things that they hear? Some examples are the tick-tock of a clock, a phone ringing, people talking, the turning of magazine pages, or the office fan. It might be extra fun to have them do this with their eyes closed so they can really focus on the sounds.
Ask them to find TWO different smells in the room. They may need to get up and walk around for this one. They may smell someone’s perfume, lunch, or even a baby’s dirty diaper. Ask them to tell you if they like or dislike each smell.
Find ONE thing that they can taste. This is a good one to be prepared for with a couple of snacks in your bag. If you do not have anything, Ask them to talk about what they wish they were eating at that moment.
This often relaxes you/your child enough that anxieties tend to slip away as you/they become more intune to their surroundings.
Remember, getting annoyed, upset, or frustrated will only make things worse. They are scared and nervous just as you were when you were their age. Their feelings are very real and should be treated with care.
Well, that's my two sense on helping your children feel more at ease around those dreaded white coats. Tips on becoming more intune with their surroundings and better understanding their fears. That those coats they fear are just people like you or I whose job it is to help them.
