How to Prepare Your Toddler for a Checkup

A physical examination, commonly called a physical, is an important part of your child’s wellness routine. As your child moves from babyhood to toddlerhood, they may be more aware of being in an unfamiliar place. They may also associate going to the doctor with experiencing the pain of injections.

During their physical, your child may undergo a number of tests and procedures that are essential to monitor their development and prevent illness. Some examples include:

• Weight and height measurements
• Motor skills tests
• Evaluation for autism
• Ear, mouth, and nose exams
• Blood tests
• Vaccines

At Gorman Medical, PC, our caring team wants your child to feel as comfortable and safe as possible during their exams so that they get the care they need. Charles Ripp, MD, and Fran Gorman, DNP, assess your child’s health at our welcoming offices in Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek, Colorado.

How can you prepare your toddler for their next physical? Below are a few tips.

Play ‘doctor’ with their stuffies or dolls

You can help alleviate your toddler’s anxiety about going to the doctor by letting them give their toys “physicals.” You can help them learn about and practice procedures that they may undergo during their own physical. Get them a play doctor kit so they can use the instruments to mimic tests they’ll undergo:

• Palpating abdomen
• Listening to heart with stethoscope
• Testing reflexes with hammer
• Giving injections
• Putting on bandages

Let them know their stuffie has to undergo a physical to be sure they’re healthy. They can also express their own anxieties about getting a shot or undergoing any other test by telling you how their toy “felt” during their exam.

Use simple language to explain the physical

First, don’t launch into a lengthy explanation of what a physical is, what the tests are, and how they might feel. Toddlers have a limited attention span. Keep your explanations simple, bright, and no more than 10-15 minutes long, even when you’re playing “doctor.” 

You can also get books about doctors, nurses, and hospitals that are written to their age level. Watch a movie or video where a kid gets a physical. When you introduce the concept of a physical in multiple ways, it doesn’t feel as strange and threatening.

Give them permission to cry

Be honest about how they might feel during their physical, especially when they get a vaccine or must take a blood test. Let them know that it’s OK to cry, but also assure them that the pain won’t last long.

Make sure your kid knows that a shot isn’t a punishment. It’s something that can help them avoid diseases and stay healthy and happy. And prepare yourself, too, for the fact that shots or even the strangeness of being in the doctor’s office may make them cry.

Distract your child

Let your child bring a stuffie, doll, or tablet into the examination room. They can squeeze the toy for comfort, or watch a show as a distraction while they’re getting their shots or undergoing other procedures that they may find uncomfortable.

If you wish, we can even ask your child to cough right before an inoculation. Coughing helps to ease the pain of a shot.

If they’ve never practiced deep breathing, spend some time before your visit teaching them to relax themselves by taking slow, deep breaths. The practice helps them calm down when faced with a new or threatening situation. Also, feel free to let your child sit in your lap, or let them hold your hand while they’re in our office.

Make it a fun day

Create a positive association with a doctor’s visit by finding something fun you can do afterward. Take your child to lunch, out for ice cream, or visit the park.

We also do all we can to make your child feel comfortable and safe. Our staff is trained to help children feel calm. We may let them choose their own bandage, or try on a pair of exam gloves for size, too. 

Is your toddler due for a well-child physical? Contact Gorman Medical, PC, via phone or online form today.