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Waiting Room Woes
Keeping Your Toddler Healthy and Entertained at the Doctor's Office
By Renee Roberson
If your child is ill, it will probably help to bring along a lovey to help ease your child's discomfort. "Parents would do well to remember to include their child's favorite blankie or stuffed animal, as waiting rooms are often chaotic and confusing, and can be overwhelming to a small child," Dr. Cowan says.
Dr. Mary Ellen Renna, a pediatrician and creator of the nutrition and fitness program Next Generation Fitness, advises her patients to bring their own books and toys to her office. "Little toys fit easily into diaper bags and so do books," she says. "This will help make sure that they are not tempted to touch other things in the office. I don't keep toys in my office. We have a television and a giant playhouse but no small toys."
Dr. Renna also recommends parents help their toddlers follow what she calls "the 3 foot rule." "Keep three feet away from someone who is obviously ill," she says. "It is difficult to transmit a virus to someone who is standing at least 3 feet away from you, even if they coughed without covering their mouth."
Toren Anderson, a mother of five from Woodstock, Ga., believes doctor's offices should give their patients paging devices like the ones many restaurants use during wait times, and sterilize them in between patients. "I have seen it all, including parents so worn out they don't keep their very ill children contained," Anderson says.
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