2 year old's checkup with Hepatitis vaccine!!!! This doc freaks him out!?

My son's 2 year visit is coming up at the end of October and already I'm stressing over it. The doc he saw from birth on up to 1 year never seemed to bother my son. He barely even cried when he got his shots there. Had to switch ped's when I changed job's b/c of insurance and the second Evan lays eyes on this guy, he lets loose with the screaming and literally climbing up me like a cat on curtains (feels about like that too....)! Even when he's NOT getting shots.... This time, when I made the appt., I made it with the FEMALE doc in the practice **hoping** it will make all the difference, but how can I best prepare him for this visit with hopefully the least amount of freaking out (on his part) possible? It's impossible to talk to the doc about any questions I have when he's acting like that, so any tips out there?

Answers:
It's common for children at this age to have stranger anxiety. There is not a lot you can really do to "prepare" him for the visit. If he thinks you are anxious, it will increase his anxiety. There are several books (Elmo Visits the Doctor, The Berenstain Bears etc) Go the the library or buy on of the books and read it to him at when you normally read him books. Talk about the doctor in a positive, light hearted way-just matter of fact- We're going to see our friend, Dr ____ to make sure that you stay well. Write down any questions you have so if it gets to be too much for him, you can give her the list of questions.

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1) Get a book about kids visiting doctors, so he gets some idea what to expect
2) give him a little tylenol a hour before the visit, so the shot won't hurt as bad
3) promise you'll take him somewhere AFTER the visit if he behaves, somewhere he likes, Chuck-e-Cheese or something.

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It was a good idea to see the other doctor this time. Who knows what will freak a kid out. He could have had a scary dream about someone who looks like the male doc or seen someone on television that looked similar and scared him. If he doesn't just flip out over large groups of people (like all men or all men with beards, things like that) he should be ok with the woman as his physician. There isn't a lot to prepare for a 2 year old The day before just tell him that he is going to see the doctor, get a "Jimmy goes to the doctor" book and read that with him.

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