Sometimes I wonder if prepping them a little for the sounds and sensations ahead of time helps more than just hoping the screen will do all the work.
I’ve definitely noticed that with my daughter. If we talk through what’s going to happen—like, “there’ll be some buzzing and maybe a tickle”—she seems less freaked out when it actually starts. The cartoons help distract her, but if she’s totally caught off guard, it’s almost like the surprise makes it worse. I think the combo of some prep plus distraction works better than just relying on one or the other. It’s tricky though, because every kid reacts so differently...
Yeah, I totally get what you mean. My son’s super sensitive to noise, so just throwing on a cartoon never did the trick by itself. If I gave him a heads up—like, “the chair’s gonna move and you’ll hear some whirring”—he’d tense up less. The screen helps keep him distracted, but if he’s surprised, it’s meltdown city. It’s almost like he needs to feel a bit in control, ya know? Every kid’s wired different, though.
That’s interesting—my daughter’s really jumpy with loud noises too, and even with cartoons she’ll flinch if the dentist moves the chair without warning. Do you ever worry about them associating the dentist with stress anyway, even if we try to prep them? I keep second-guessing if I’m making it worse by talking about what’ll happen, but if I don’t, she freaks out more. How do you balance that?
I totally get what you mean—sometimes prepping kids helps, but other times it seems to make them more anxious. In my experience, a little info goes a long way, but I try to keep it super simple. Like, “the chair might move and make a funny noise, but that’s just how it works.” I’ve noticed if I over-explain, some kids start worrying about every detail. Distraction with cartoons or headphones can really help, too. My own nephew was the same way—he’d tense up at the sound of the suction thing, but once he had his favorite show on, he barely noticed. It’s a balancing act for sure... I think you’re doing just fine by trying different things and seeing what works for her.
Distraction with cartoons or headphones can really help, too. My own nephew was the same way—he’d tense up at the sound of the suction thing, but once he had his favorite show on, he barely noticed.
That’s funny, because I could use some cartoons myself in that chair. Last time I was in for a cleaning, I swear the hygienist could’ve been using a jackhammer for all I knew—made me wish I had headphones and a rerun of “Cheers” to drown it out. Kids have it figured out, honestly.
I do think sometimes we adults forget how much those little things matter. When my grandson first went to the dentist, we tried to explain every gadget, and it just turned into a game of “what’s THAT for?” until he was more nervous than ever. Next visit, we just let Paw Patrol do its thing and he was cool as a cucumber.
Does anyone else remember what dentists were like before all these fancy distractions? I feel like all we got was a fish tank and a Highlights magazine...
