A dear friend of mine was talking to me about an upcoming doctor’s appointment for her son who has autism. She was taking him to a new doctor and she was telling me about some of the steps she follows when she sees a new doctor for her son. Below are a few tips she gave and some that have worked for us.
- My Name Is-This tip she gave me was one that has stuck with me. She will either call ahead and speak to the doctor or tell the nurse before he her son comes into the room her expectations. She asks all doctors to refer to themselves as her son’s friend and not to use the name Dr. “Lastname.” When she told me this, I wanted to scream, “YES!” Why hadn’t I done this yet. So many times our children are in and out of doctor’s appointments and hospitals and they have a fear of them.
- Doctors Take a Knee-She also asks the doctor to bend down on one knee when they come in the room and get to her son’s level. She encourages the doctor to stop and take a minute before the normal routine of “why are you hear today, what brings you in, etc.” Too many times, doctors are in a rushed schedule and they need to remember to address the child and not just the parent. In the defense of the doctor, many times parents are in a rush and try to get this over with but it is a valuable tip for all doctors to consider to take a knee.
- Paperwork- Request all doctor’s offices to send you the forms before the visit. Most doctors already do this but taking it a step further is important. I encourage you to take it in without your child before the visit to make sure they do not need any other additional paperwork or signatures. This will allow you to give your full attention to your child when you arrive.
- Drive By-Many times we take our son for a drive by of the new place or office. We will then either make a Social Story or picture schedule for him to follow. He has transitioned away from the visual schedules for the most part now however he does like to hear what will happen and the sequence.
- Preview- Gather the information of what is going to occur during the visit and try to preview the steps with your child. Help them feel more comfortable of talking them through the visit. This will also help calm yourself during the process.
- Timing-We always as the reception when the most quietest and calm times are for appointments. When it is possible, we plan for these times. Don’t be afraid to ask for alternate times or ask them for suggestions. We had one place that would allow us to use a different entrance if it was too crowded when he was younger and we have had appointments scheduled at offset times. Don’t feel bad asking the reception on what they feel would be best for everyone involved. They may have a suggestion you would not think of and it could make the visit more successful.
- Packing-Make sure you have whatever you need to help support your child during their visit. This may include a water bottle, fidget, stuff animal, snack, etc.
- White Flag-There have been times during a visit that I have said that we were done and needed a break. The break maybe for a few minutes or to return another day. I would recommend that if you ask for a few minutes you ask the doctor when they will return. They may have to go see another patient that would then set you back on time. So make sure that you figure out which would be the best route for you and your child.
- Celebrate-Remember to celebrate your child and yourself after a visit. There are so many downers that come a long with it but try to see one good thing that comes out of every visit. It maybe something huge like the child was able to decrease some of their meds or it could be a small celebration, the child didn’t scream while getting their BP taken. Whatever it is, big or small, celebrate something!
- Recap-Talk your child through how the visit went and how proud of them you were. When I say talk through the event, I mean to retell some of the things that happened. For example, “you were really nervous to get on the scale but I saw you did it. I am so proud of you.” Make sure to always talk to your child and continue to recap so they have better understanding.
There are so many ways to make a doctor’s appointment more successful. Prepare for everything and celebrate any successes. Also, never get discouraged if an appointment doesn’t go exactly how you have hoped it to go.
