Young kids will get the chance to watch their stuffed animals get vaccinated, weighed and have X-rays taken as part of Inova Loudoun Hospital’s Teddy Bear Clinic on Saturday.
It’s the first time the Leesburg, Virginia, hospital is hosting the mock clinic, with the hope of making kids less anxious when they have to schedule a doctor’s visit.
The free event targets kids 3 to 8 years old, though kids of all ages are welcome. It’s scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hospital’s North Entrance hallway near the Riverside Gift Shop.
“They don’t really have a lot of positive experiences about going to see the doctor,” said child life specialist Emily Phipps. “When they come in, they’re usually kind of scared and upset and nervous, especially in the hospital too, it’s just a different setting.”
Attendees can bring their own teddy bears, but Phipps said the hospital also has extras from Christmastime donations, “so we were just thinking it would be a great way to engage the community.”
Staff will have a few stations set up so when kids arrive, they’ll be able to register, similar to what happens when they would enter the hospital.
There will be a table for vitals, such as blood pressure, temperature and weight, and there will be other stations where kids can watch their stuffed animal get a vaccine or IV inserted.
The anesthesia team will be there, Phipps said, and kids will be able to see the machine that’s used for anesthesia before procedures. There’s also a radiology component, featuring X-rays and models of MRI and CT scanners that kids can play with.
Phipps said she hopes the event helps kids see hospital staff in a positive light, because “we’re always there to help the kids feel better. They don’t always see it that way, because we have to sometimes do things that hurt a little bit, so seeing what we’re doing is trying to help them feel better” will help them gain understanding and control.
The event, Phipps said, could also help parents who may not know the best way to explain medical information to kids themselves.
“If we’re able to help a little bit with that, that would be good, and to see the kids have a good experience. I think that would be successful,” Phipps said.
RSVP for the event by emailing ILHChildLife@Inova.org and including the number of children that will attend.