I came home from work tonight and my boys were playing doctor. This is how the appointments were going, apparently. While this doesn’t seem to be the way I practice medicine, I did recognise this as strikingly similar to last week when we took Lucy (the dog) to the vet for her annual booster.

Why were they playing that today? Well, one doesn’t need to be a doctor or a child psychologist to maybe think they drew a connection between the annual booster for the dog and their flu vaccine. Both of which not only involved a squirt up the nose but, coincidentally, also happen in October for us. I’ve given them plenty of warning that I’ve booked their appointments soon.

Giving your child a chance to process the uncertainty about going to the doctor, ask questions, read a book from the library or a social story, or even just free play can really help reduce anxiety.

Even though the flu vaccine for children isn’t an injection, we still have a policy in our house of letting the boys negotiate for treat of their choosing when it’s time for vaccine.

 For a deeper dive, you can read more:  I hate the Doctor!