Being a Norton Children’s “Super Kid” means doing activities that prevent spread of the coronavirus. Here’s how to prepare your child for seeing providers in face masks.

Story by: Kim Huston on July 28, 2020

When was the last time your child saw their pediatrician? Norton Children’s practices and facilities have resumed all services as before the coronavirus outbreak, while taking extra precautions to keep you and your child safer. If you’ve been putting off vaccinations, a well-baby visit or other medical care for your child during the pandemic, you may wonder what to expect. Norton Children’s caregivers and employees are superheroes — and are excited to see “Super Kids.” Here are some ways to prepare your child for seeing people wearing face masks in public, including their health care providers.

Norton Children’s wants every child to be a Super Kid. Being a Norton Children’s Super Kid means doing activities that prevent spread of the coronavirus. Super Kids wash their hands, wear a mask, cough into their elbow, don’t touch your face and practice social distancing by keeping your hands to yourself. Another key measure for kids to stay healthy during this time is to get their checkups, including vaccinations. Things may have changed since the last time your child saw their pediatrician or specialty physician.

How to prepare your child for seeing staff wearing masks

You can explain to your child that just like Super Kids wear masks to keep themselves and their families healthy, so do health care providers such as doctors and nurses. Norton Children’s providers wear personal protective equipment such as masks and face shields to keep you, themselves and others safer.

When the kids feel in control and are able to see and understand what’s going to happen, it can help make their experience better. To help children prepare for the experience, you can role play what a visit may be like. You can explain that the child will see everyone wearing masks at their provider’s office. You can have your child practice wearing their mask at home while you and family members also wear masks — it can make wearing masks feel normal not scary.

You also can practice the other parts of the Super Kid pledge to help them understand what they will see when they visit a doctor’s office.