If you have children in your home, then you know that going to the doctor or pediatrician for a well checkup, a sick visit, or an immunization can be difficult.  Children learn at an early age what “getting a shot” means, and they don’t like it!  What can you do to ease the intensity of this experience and help children (and their parents) get through it with as little upset as possible?

As a therapist and a music medicine practitioner, I am around children and their families on a daily basis.  So I thought I would do a little experiment!  A little 6 year-old girl that I know, really does not like going to the doctor’s office to get a shot.  There are no words to convince her that it’s not going to hurt, and even promises of ice cream or toys cannot make her dislike this experience.  I wondered if  giving her some of Serenity Headphones make ease the experience for her and for her mother, as well as the doctor!

When a child comes into a medical facility already crying, kicking, and trying to run away from staff, it’s disruptive and upsetting for everyone.  I’ve seen this happening many times!  (Not my children, of course!)  It doesn’t take a lot of crying, squealing, or screaming to feed the overall anxiety level and before you know it, other children are crying and trying to get away.  And so I offered my friend “Rosie. age 6″ the opportunity to take some headphones with her.  I explained that the music was intended to calm and comfort her and that if she closed her eyes and focused on the music, it probably would not hurt at all!”

Here is what she said: