Does your toddler throw a tantrum or become really upset when they need to see the doctor?

As upsetting as it can be, it’s actually not unusual at all for toddlers to develop a fear of going to the doctor. This is because they begin to remember what happens when they’re in the doctor’s office.

Think about it from their point of view. All they know is when they go to the doctor they get prodded and injected and they have absolutely no idea why. They may remember what happens, but they don’t know why it happens. So, understandably they start to associate going to the doctor as a bad experience. Toddler’s don’t always have the verbal skills to say why they don’t like the doctor, so they do the only thing they can to express their feelings – cry or scream.

The question is, how can you ease their fears and make it less traumatic for both them and you?