Children can get easily frightened by new experiences, especially medical procedures that involve machinery. One experience your child may encounter is an ultrasound. While the procedure may not seem scary to you – adults who work for commercial firms and finance recruitment companies and who see doctors regularly – it can be terrifying for a small child. Thankfully, there are ways you can help calm his fears. Here are just a few tips for preparing your child for his first ultrasound.
Explain the Procedure
Set your child down and tell him everything he wants to know about the procedure and explain exactly what will happen. You may even want to show him videos from the internet or pictures in books from the library. Either way, giving your child the ability to ask questions is a great way to calm his fears. After all, he may have a question that no one else has thought to ask or explain.
Practice the Procedure
Obviously you can’t really practice for an ultrasound, but you can pretend. Have your child lay on the couch or bed and left up his shirt. Take some lotion and rub it on his tummy and explain that the nurse will use a cold piece of equipment to do this part. If he seems scared, give his ribs a tickle to help lighten the situation.
Tell Him About the Video
Your child will think it’s so cool to be able to see the inside of his stomach. Explain that as the nurse moves the instrument around, he’ll be able to see different parts of his tummy. Tell him that the nurse can move the monitor so that he can watch everything that’s going on and get a bird’s eye view of how his digestive system works.
Promise a Yummy Meal Afterward
If you child has to fast for his ultrasound he may be starving by the time the procedure is through. Explain this to him and promise he can eat anywhere he wants to after it’s done. You may want to also have a small prize to give him for being so brave during the exam.
An ultrasound can be frightening, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a number of things you can do to ensure the procedure goes smoothly and doesn’t scare your child. It all begins by asking your child what he would like to know and practicing the procedure at home. You can then explain how cool it will be to see inside his stomach and promise a fun meal after the exam is done.