Guest guest Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Sara, Oh, I remember the days of screaming as we drove into the driveway of the doc's office. used to scream all the way through until she was back in the car seat and headed out of the garage. The thing that changed it all for us was when had to go to CF clinic on her 2nd birthday and almost all of the docs and fellows, nurses and the rest of the CF clinic staff crowded into the room and the hall outside to sing Happy Birthday to her and her docs gave her a gift. Ever since, is fine in any doc's office, even the dreaded peds where she got all those synagis shots! Maybe one of the docs or something will do something silly or unexpected for Zach, so he is distracted instead of upset. It wouldn't hurt to ask.....maybe they could sing a favorite song of his with you? Anything to stop the screaming and tears! mom of 5 with CF and a boy on the way, no CF Screaming and tears Hi everyone, Zach is becoming extremely upset at every doctors appointment. It starts as soon as he sees the parking garage. He starts doing the " all done " sign and trying to say " done " . I am careful not to say done until we are ready to leave, but it doesn't help much. We had our last synagis shot today and Zach was a mess. I thought Elmo band-aids might do the trick, but nothing works until I can say all done and take him to the van. So, do any of you have any tips for helping a toddler with doctors appointments?? Sara - mommy of Zach age 2 wcf > Both and Dylan got a clean bill of health at the ENT today. is > supposed to be doing gentamincin as an inhalation and every time he tries he > starts coughing like mad. Has anyone experienced this? > > ENT suctioned both boys noses - with much SCREAMING and TEARS!!!!!!! > > Thankfully its over. I kept telling that its like giving birth...the > Dr.'s head spun around like Blair in the Exorcist! I explained how it > hurts for a while but its worth it. Thats how I explained their surgery. > > > > Rosemary in NY with 3 children (13, 11 and 7) > with CF. I have a dog named TOBI and have > coined the phrase " BREATHE DAMMIT " > my new favorite quote is > Any idiot can face a crisis - > it's day to day living that wears you out. > Anton Chekhov > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 That is a great idea. I was thinking about having his picture taken with the doctors so he could be more familiar with all of them and not be so scared, but maybe he needs to see them as happy people who do other things besides inflict pain. I could have his ped or pulmo give a gift. I know they would, but his next two appts are with new docs about his cp, so I have no idea how that will go. Maybe I could schedule a follow up with his ped and she could give him a gift. Anyway thanks for the idea. Sara > > Both and Dylan got a clean bill of health at the ENT today. > is > > supposed to be doing gentamincin as an inhalation and every time > he tries he > > starts coughing like mad. Has anyone experienced this? > > > > ENT suctioned both boys noses - with much SCREAMING and > TEARS!!!!!!! > > > > Thankfully its over. I kept telling that its like giving > birth...the > > Dr.'s head spun around like Blair in the Exorcist! I > explained how it > > hurts for a while but its worth it. Thats how I explained their > surgery. > > > > > > > > Rosemary in NY with 3 children (13, 11 and 7) > > with CF. I have a dog named TOBI and have > > coined the phrase " BREATHE DAMMIT " > > my new favorite quote is > > Any idiot can face a crisis - > > it's day to day living that wears you out. > > Anton Chekhov > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 We bought season passes to the zoo. A clinic visit for us means a trip to the zoo, with Patti picking where we eat and which animal we see first. School zone makes alphabet flashcards with animal pictures on them. We take those cards with us and talk about the animals (sneaking in some alphabet learning here and there) while we are waiting to ease the anticipation. It also helps to keep her mind off of any worry. Dawn mom of 4, 8 and under, the youngest wcf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 When my kids were little and we had such trouble with screaming and crying for appointments, I printed some little " tokens " on my computer and laminated them. They were very colorful with cute pictures. We used them over and over again. One was good for a ride on the Carousel (there was a huge one downtown), one was good for a " prize " out of my prize box (just cute little things I picked up at the dollar store), and one was good for having a friend sleep over. If they made it through their clinic visits they got to pick a token. It may have been kind of silly, but it worked. Re: Screaming and tears We bought season passes to the zoo. A clinic visit for us means a trip to the zoo, with Patti picking where we eat and which animal we see first. School zone makes alphabet flashcards with animal pictures on them. We take those cards with us and talk about the animals (sneaking in some alphabet learning here and there) while we are waiting to ease the anticipation. It also helps to keep her mind off of any worry. Dawn mom of 4, 8 and under, the youngest wcf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 That is the wonderful thing about prizes.THEY WORK...............Bless you & thank you for sharing. It even works for the big ones too. LOVE & HUGS, grandmoMBEV Re: Screaming and tears We bought season passes to the zoo. A clinic visit for us means a trip to the zoo, with Patti picking where we eat and which animal we see first. School zone makes alphabet flashcards with animal pictures on them. We take those cards with us and talk about the animals (sneaking in some alphabet learning here and there) while we are waiting to ease the anticipation. It also helps to keep her mind off of any worry. Dawn mom of 4, 8 and under, the youngest wcf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 That sounds great, but we have to leave at 7am to make our 10am clinic appt. By the time we are done with clinic and have had lunch, Zach is really wiped out and sleeps most of the way home. We are thinking about going down on Sundays to visit the zoo and staying over night sometimes. that might be fun for Zach. He would need to be older though. He isn't too fond of strange places and our previous hotel stays have been nervewracking. Sounds like a zoo trip is a great routine. I wish we lived closer to be able to do it. Sara > We bought season passes to the zoo. A clinic visit for us means a trip to the zoo, with Patti picking where we eat and which animal we see first. School zone makes alphabet flashcards with animal pictures on them. We take those cards with us and talk about the animals (sneaking in some alphabet learning here and there) while we are waiting to ease the anticipation. It also helps to keep her mind off of any worry. > > Dawn mom of 4, 8 and under, the youngest wcf > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 Actually, we usually leave at 6:00 am for our 9:30 appointment. So I understand your delima. We eat lunch in the zoo, (they have a Burger King, Pizza Hut, Grandy's, etc.) and then see only a few animals. The season passes help us to not feel guilty about not seeing everything. We do see the whole thing once every couple of months, though not on clinic day. It takes the whole day to see the Ft. Worth Zoo, and that's if you rush. Dawn mom of 4, 8 and under, the youngest wcf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 I thought you meant that you saw the zoo and then went to clinic. Lunch at the zoo is a possibility. It is not that far away and it is free. If we make it part of the clinic routine, then maybe Zach can associate the zoo with his appointments. Our next clinic is in May. We see his pulmo at 10 and his ENT at 1. I am not sure we can squeeze in a trip to the zoo that day, but after that appointment it might work. There is also a small zoo in Springfield. It is only open part of the year, but it is worth a try. I am amazed that you manage to get 4 kids ready at 6am. You are Wonder Woman!! Sara > Actually, we usually leave at 6:00 am for our 9:30 appointment. So I understand your delima. We eat lunch in the zoo, (they have a Burger King, Pizza Hut, Grandy's, etc.) and then see only a few animals. The season passes help us to not feel guilty about not seeing everything. We do see the whole thing once every couple of months, though not on clinic day. It takes the whole day to see the Ft. Worth Zoo, and that's if you rush. > > Dawn mom of 4, 8 and under, the youngest wcf > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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