Toddler traumatised at Doctors

[Froootlooop]

I am pro vaccines. Don't turn this into a vaccine debate please, waste your time elsewhere, each awful unnecessary comment will be reported.

DD had the MMR about 6 weeks ago maybe? She had an eye hospital check up 2 weeks ago, had a meltdown when we went into the room. And today for MY appointment at the GP surgery for something to do with MY health she had a humongous meltdown, tears like you've never seen, clinging round my neck for dear life, it was a 20 min appointment (not necessary but receptionist said it's procedure as it was for 2 things) and thank goodness it was because we had the mother of all PTSD episode 😭😭😭

I really think it's PTSD from the jabs she had. Anyone else's toddlers the same? Will she be OK by the time it's for the 2nd dose? It's about 3yo the second dose is isn't it?!

I feel so awful for her but I'm very mindful I've no doubt saved her life and others from these awful diseases.

I took her to the park immediately after and she forgot all about it.

You are massively over thinking this and at risk of causing anxiety to the child . She's not traumatised for God's sake what an over reach that is. She'll get over it only if you let her that is.

It's ok for children to have emotions. It's fine to feel upset or worried.

It's also ok to be hungry or tired. You don't have to shelter children from having feelings.

What's an "average meltdown", OP? Do you mean a tantrum?

Trauma is a subjective experience, based on how the person concerned experiences things and interprets them. It’s not for others to say whether the child was traumatised or not, and certainly not based on some kind of top trumps hierarchy of medical trauma. Nobody gets to say that because the situation is objectively much less serious or repeated than, say, chemo, or they think the child’s objective experience was less serious than their own, that therefore the child can’t be traumatised.

That said, OP, she will have consciously forgotten about it very soon. However, she may have an implicit memory remaining ( very likely to, actually) and is likely to continue to have an aversive association with the drs. You can help her get over that by being very reassuring with her every time you go in there. Lots of cuddles and fun and calm voice. Don’t show any anxiety yourself or make her feel you’re studying her reactions. Make sure you take her along with you when you go for you, be matter of fact and make it as fun as possible, and over time she will hopefully build up enough positive or neutral associations with the drs surgery that the anticipatory anxiety will wane.

For future ref, your mistakes on this thread were:

• saying from the off you would report negative comments.
• being explicit that this was following a vaccination.
• Using the terms PTSD (which I agree was OTT, though I don’t expect a layperson to know the specifics of what would fall in or outside of this definition).

If you’re new to MN there’s no way you could have know these are all verboten on here!

Don’t worry about her. We all go through unpleasant, traumatic things in life. What matters is how we deal with them, and you can help her build resilience as she grows.

My toddler is the same. At his 16 week old vaccine he burst into tears when I moved his trousers for his vaccine like he knew what was coming. At his 12 month vaccines he burst into tears in the medical centre car park before going in. He has not let medical professionals or health visitors near him willingly. However at his latest medical appointment the nurse used toy cars to make friends and he was ok. Your little one might just need reassurance like mine did.