GREENFIELD — Doctors and nurses helped repair broken legs, take blood pressure and administer vaccinations. But unlike a typical work day, their patients were stuffed bears, dogs and unicorns.
Local children were encouraged to bring stuffed animals for a pretend visit with real medical professionals at the “Teddy Bear Clinic” event presented by Hancock Regional Hospital. The exercise, held Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Hancock County Public Library in Greenfield, was aimed at helping combat fears children suffer about going to the doctor.
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Angela Kennedy, a transitional care liaison at Hancock Regional, helped put on the event. She said it was intended to demystify the experience of going to a doctor’s office or hospital for young children, for whom the setting can seem strange and frightening. Introducing them to medical procedures and equipment, she said, can help change that.
“We’re walking them step by step from the waiting room to the check-in to all of their vitals, getting their height and weight, explaining each step so they don’t have that anxiety and fear of going to an office,” Kennedy said.
Fear of doctors is very common among young children; a study by the University of Michigan found that half of parents surveyed reported the experience was frightening for their preschool-aged child. That can have real health consequences beyond a child’s mental distress. The survey also found that one in five parents said it was hard to concentrate on a doctor’s advice because their child was so upset during a doctor’s visit, and one in 25 said they had put off a vaccination because of their child’s fear of getting a shot.
That’s what the Teddy Bear Clinic hoped to combat, and the event was a success with the young children who attended.
“The kids are loving it. They’re really excited. We’re doing a little bit of wound care; there’s a lot of puppy dogs and teddy bears right now with some Band-Aids on,” Kennedy said.
Dr. Julia Compton, a radiation oncologist at the Sue Ann Wortman Cancer Center at Hancock Regional Hospital, served as one of the doctors at the event and brought her own young children. Compton walked children through procedures such as putting a cast on a broken leg or getting an ear exam, modeled on their stuffed animals.
Compton said showing children how medical equipment works can help avoid the immediate reaction of fear many of them associate with a medical professional in a white coat.
“Hopefully they see that it doesn’t have to be scary,” Compton said.
Nicki Leon brought her 2-year-old son to the event and said she hoped it would help him feel less anxious about visiting doctors in the future.
“He just had his two-year check-up a couple weeks ago, and it went terribly. He hated the entire experience, so it was nice for him to see the same stuff happen on his teddy bear and the teddy bear be fine. I think it’s good for him to start coming to this now, and when we come again next year or whenever they do this again he’ll understand it a little bit more,” Leon said.
This was a first-time event for the hospital, but organizers hope to build on the success of their first attempt and bring the idea to other parts of Hancock County. A similar program will be offered at Gateway Hancock Health in February.