Many kids and teens are anxious about seeing doctors. Taking the time to prepare your child for seeing a child and adolescent psychiatrist can help make the appointment go smoother.
How Do We Tell our Child They Are Seeing a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist?
Children aged four to ten are often more anxious about seeing doctors. Even though child and adolescent psychiatrists are very different than seeing the pediatrician, your child does not know that. Many children know that when they go to their pediatrician for their well-child visits, they often get immunizations and booster shots. Nobody likes getting shots, but children are especially sensitive to the prospect and can become downright terrified. When you tell your child they will be seeing a doctor, it is particularly important to make sure they understand this is a different kind of doctor. Reassure them that a child and adolescent psychiatric provider will not be giving them any shots and won’t even be poking or prodding them at all. Let them know this is just a talking doctor who is going to ask them lots of questions, and they will only need to sit there, listen, and answer some questions.
Giving your child a general construct for the nature of the appointment can also be helpful. If there is concern about depression or anxiety, remind them that they have been feeling scared about things (the dark, school, when parents leave, etc.) or how they have been real sad lately, crying a lot, and not wanting to do much. Let them know that this doctor is here to help them with their worries or sadness and work together to have less of those feelings and more times when they are happy. If your child understands the reason for the appointment and can see some possible benefit coming out of it, they are more likely to be cooperative and open.
How Do We Tell our Adolescent They Are Seeing a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist?
As any parent can tell you, teenagers can be a different type of animal. Sometimes they are perfectly agreeable and fine and other times they can be sullen, stubborn, and oppositional. Although the destigmatization of mental health has come a long way in the past 20 years, there are some teens who may feel embarrassed about having to see a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Similar to children, you can assure them the visit is just a conversation and there will be nothing physically intrusive or invasive about the meeting. For those teens who may be resistant, you can try to couch it neutrally and suggest that just see what the provider has to say and see if they have any ideas or suggestions that might help but that they certainly get some say in treatment. Empowering teens to feel like they have a voice and some choice in things can go along way to getting some buy in and willingness to move forward. Sharing with your teens any of your own personal struggles with mental health or any family history of mental health can also be valuable. Understanding that some things are genetic and run in the family can help them depersonalize their struggles as some sort of shortcoming or failing on their part. Successful treatment experiences in the family (grandparent, aunt, cousin, etc.) can facilitate some cooperation with the appointment as well.
If you are interested in meeting with our child and adolescent psychiatric provider, feel free to contact IPC so you can schedule an appointment with Jackie Grinnell, CNP, PMHNP who can help you complete an assessment, obtain a diagnosis and discuss treatment options. Please call us now at 763-416-4167, or request an appointment on our website: WWW.IPC-MN.COM so we can sit down with you and complete a thorough assessment and help you develop a plan of action that will work for you. Life is too short to be unhappy. Find the peace of mind you deserve.
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