It’s perfectly normal for a child to be afraid about going to the doctor — whether it’s for a routine checkup or a visit with a specialist. But you don’t want that fear to become overwhelming. So what can you do?

• Examine your own fears. Make sure your anxieties don’t add to your child’s. Crack a joke if you need to.

• Bring trusted friends. Familiar toys or stuffed animals can be a comfort in the waiting room or the exam room.

• Prepare your children ahead of time. Rather than just mention that you’re going to the doctor again and again, pretend about what might happen. Let your child play the doctor as well as the patient.

• Work with the nurses if they’re giving shots. Most nurses are old pros who have lots of tricks for making shots go smoothly. Just give them a heads-up so they can use their wily ways.

For more ways to reduce your child’s anxiety around a doctor visit, see the Medical City Children’s Hospital health library.

The Medical City City Gourmet program is well known among our patients for being unlike any other kind of hospital food they’ve ever heard of. For starters, it tastes good! We asked executive chef Robert Gillentine to share one of his kid-friendly
heart-healthy recipes.


Fruit Parfait with Plantain Straws

Ingredients (for six 6-oz servings):

• 1 large plantain
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 8 oz. plain yogurt
• ¼ cup strawberries
• ¼ cup blackberries
• ¼ cup raspberries

Peel and slice plantain into ½" X ½" X 4" wedges. Toss them in sugar and cinnamon. Cook on baking sheet at 250°F with oven door cracked for 1½ hours.

Purée fruit and yogurt in a blender until smooth. Garnish with the plantain straws.

Whole cow’s milk is a kid favorite and rich in many nutrients. But it doesn’t have iron, which is one reason young children shouldn’t become over reliant on milk.

Dr. Carl Lenarsky, director of the Medical City Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Center, says kids who don’t get enough iron gradually get iron deficiency anemia. He adds, “By the time you see symptoms, such as the child being very pale or fatiguing very easily, the disease is very advanced. You want to catch it before your child gets to that point — prevention is the most important thing.”

What can you do? First, Dr. Lenarsky says to make sure your child’s diet includes a variety of iron-rich foods, such as meat, chicken, fish, and soy. Second, make sure that your child has regular checkups with a pediatrician. The blood tests the doctor does provide early checks on your child’s iron levels. Dr. Lenarsky recommends talking with the pediatrician about the right amount of milk for your child and about whether vitamins with an iron supplement are appropriate for your child.

Hey kids! Going to the doctor can sometimes be a little scary. Even for adults! But you know what helps? If you know what to expect when you get there. (Did you know it usually involves a lot of sitting around and very little of anything that hurts?)

One way to get ready for your next trip to the doctor is to play the Dr. Memory game in the Fun City section of our website. You’ll get to see some things you can look for at your next doctor visit, exercise your brain, and have a little fun!

Deb is a clinical nurse specialist in the Medical City Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Program. She says when you walk into the hospital, “we treat you the way we would want our own family members treated. We respect and honor the trust you put in us.” Hear more from Deb and meet some of our other specialists at our website, SpecialistsInChildren.com.