Going to urgent care clinic means that something is already wrong with your child. This probably scares them enough without the notion of going into an unfamiliar place with odd sounds and smells and people they don’t know rushing around. Here are a few ways that you can help your child to remain calm in situations like these.
Find an Urgent Care for Kids
Most urgent cares try to spend as little as possible on decorations so a regular clinic will be clean but fairly uninviting in order to have a bigger budget for things that are more functional like medicine and equipment. However, an urgent care for kids specifically will take the time to make sure that the decor is warm and friendly. They will likely have toys out for the children to play with while they wait or maybe a screen for movies and cartoons. Urgent care for kids strive to have this kind of environment when the child first comes in because it helps to take their focus off of their sickness or pain as well as helping to curve boredom or fear. The medical staff will also be trained specifically in how to deal with all kinds of children. It’s important that your child trust the doctor or nurse that you see. Knowing how to talk to children calmly and in a manner that they will understand is crucial to building that mutually trusting relationship between the professional and the child.
Bring a Familiar Toy
As they sit among a world of unfamiliarity, it can be comforting to have something from home that they recognize. Before leaving the house, let your child pick one or two things to bring with them. While this is good for the waiting time and for the kids not being seen, it’s main purpose is to give your child something to cling to. Generally speaking, urgent care for kids does not take the child away from the parent for any reason. The parents are allowed to accompany the child wherever they need to be taken but it’s always nice for the child to have something of their own to hold on to and find comfort in when they have to be sitting or laying on a medical bed.
Keep Your Own Emotions in Check
It is extremely difficult to see your child in pain or sick. It’s one of the hardest things a parent has to go through. However, you have to remember that you children take their cues from you. If you are stressing out and panicking, then your child is likely to freak out as well, even more than you. If you remain calm and in control this will make your child feel safe, secure and like everything is going to be alright. Even if the situation is dire, do not let a young child take on the burden of the worry. It is normal and right for you to be concerned and worried and feel that pit in your stomach at the unknown. But, your child is not old enough to be able to to handle that. While you don’t want to lie to them, which will be covered next, you also don’t want to worry him.
Don’t Over Promise Your Child Anything
If your child dislocated their arm and it’s going to need to be set, don’t tell them that it’s not going to hurt. Instead tell them, “It will hurt for a minute but it’s going to make you feel a lot better after it’s all over and I will be there the entire time.” That is an important fact to emphasize- let your child know you will be there the whole time, no matter what. Even if you lie to them and tell them it’s not going to hurt, they will still worry but if they know that you are going to be there, they will be able to remain somewhat calm.
The goal is to help your child, of course. You know that. But part of helping them is seeing them through the hard times even when you can’t take the pain away. It’s important that they know they will never be alone.
