From first steps to first words, there are many milestones to celebrate as your child grows. Among those milestones is your child’s first visit to the family doctor. When Kenai Peninsula families need to find a doctor they can trust for all of their healthcare needs, they turn to MediCenter. Visitors to this urgent care and family medicine clinic are provided with affordable, expert care for a wide range of health issues, including general wellness, women’s health, nutrition counseling, and pain management. 

Whether you are bringing the newest member of your family to their very first checkup, or introducing an older child to a new family doctor, the first appointment can be nerve-wracking. The following tips will make visits to the doctor easier for children of all ages:

Be Prepared

Make sure you have all of your child’s medical and identification paperwork with you during your visit, including records from any previous practices you may have visited. This will give your doctor a complete picture of your child’s health. When you feel prepared and calm, your child will pick up on those calmness cues as well.

Ask Questions  

When it comes to your child’s health, remember that there is no such thing as a silly question. Before you visit the clinic, create a list of questions you and your child would like to ask the doctor. Older children and teens should be allowed to work independently on their own list of questions in order to establish trust between themselves and the family doctor.

Provide Reassurance

For many children, visiting the doctor is their first major interaction with an adult outside the family. If your child has questions about what will happen during their checkup, use a doll or stuffed animal to demonstrate what doctors usually do to make sure their patients are healthy. Make sure your child feels secure by reassuring him or her that you will be with them in the exam room. Allowing your child to bring a quiet toy can also provide comfort and entertainment while you are in the waiting room.

Visit MediCenter online to learn more about their family and urgent care facilities, then call (907) 283-9118 to schedule an appointment for your child.