There are a lot of books to help a child who is afraid of going to the doctor. Here are a few to get you started, and then check out your local library to see what else they have if they don’t have these books about doctor visits.
Daniel Tiger
Daniel Visits the Doctor by Becky Friedman
Based on an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, this book shows Daniel scared to go to the doctor for a check-up. Mom Tiger help him to feel less scared, and Dr. Anna talks through everything she’s going to do before she does it. “When we do something new, let’s talk about what we’ll do.” The only downside is that when Daniel asks if he’s going to get a shot, he is told no. My kids have been vaccinated on schedule as recommended by our doctor, which means they got shots at most annual checkups through age 5. I wish this book went there.
Getting a Shot
Leo Gets a Checkup by Anna McQuinn
This book, on the other hand, does include the child getting a shot. We start off seeing what Leo’s life is like now that he is a big boy (still wearing a diaper, so not that big). Leo’s dad takes him to the doctor and teaches him to be patient in the waiting room, and then Leo gets measured and shows the doctor “what he can do now.” Leo is given a shot, and while the book’s description on Goodreads says he learns to “be brave during a shot” – but this is misleading. Although Leo does get a shot with a smile on his face, there’s no detail about how it was. Leo is younger than Daniel, and possibly nonverbal (although the text does say he loves singing, it could mean he’s “singing” gibberish), so it’s a better book for toddlers. It doesn’t show any fear of the doctor’s office, so it might be better for children who are not afraid but just curious.
Rhyming Story
The Night Before the Doctor by Natasha Wing
This is one in a series of books about new experiences that has the rhythm of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. I like that the child is a little older than Daniel. While still afraid of shots, he knows what to expect with the rest of the visit. The one thing I don’t like about this book is that the father faints when the boy gets his vaccine, but maybe kids would just think that’s funny. If your child likes this one, check out The Night Before Kindergarten, The Night Before First Grade, and all the others.
For Readers
Dana’s Visit to the Doctor by Mari Schuh
My son is finishing Kindergarten this month, and I think he would probably be able to read this book. The words are fairly simple and there’s not a lot of details, but if your child remembers going to the doctor’s office and having checkups, it might be just enough of a reminder. Dana does have to get a shot and is scared, her dad basically tells her not to worry and that it’ll be fine, and then on the next page it’s over and she’s not traumatized. Good! I don’t want her to be traumatized! But it would have been nice to have an extra sentence or two about how she got over the fear, because in my experience, just saying “It’ll be fine” is not enough reassurance to calm a child who’s afraid of needles. Overall though, it’s a nice little overview.
Check out Miss Michelle’s Book Nook
Miss Michelle shares her book recommendations each month on the In Our Homeschool blog. Find links to all of her posts here.
Miss Michelle is the sister of Kristen, who writes this blog. She has a daughter who is 10 and a son who is 6. They are not home-schooled, but Miss Michelle is super supportive and proud of her sister for doing it. She has been a full-time Children’s Librarian for over 16 years and loves to recommend her favorite books. You can follow her on Goodreads, where she keeps track of books she has read for storytime, at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/170007385-miss-michelle.
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