Doctors Visits with Teddy

Teddy enjoys going different places and being around people, whether familiar faces or new friends. The only exception was that after his week-long testing study at NIH, he was terrified of the doctor and got extremely anxious regardless of the reason for the doctor visit. Thankfully, enough time has passed since then, and we've had enough "easy" doctor visits, that is no longer the case. The ER is still an instant trigger for tears and freaking out, but I feel the same way on the inside, so I understand that.

Throwback picture to the first time he wore a mask for a doctor's visit!

We took him to the doctor last week for what could be dandruff, cradle cap or ringworm. The good news is that if it's ringworm, we caught it really early. For now, we treat the other two and monitor since ringworm treatment is a 6-week process that isn't something we want to do if it's not needed. Anyways, the point is the visit wasn't anything painful and was rather routine. 

Right away, he pointed to the light that is used to check ears, noses and throats. And then he pointed to his nose, wanting his nose checked. We told him that wasn't why we were there, but he asked a few more times. Then when he hopped up on the exam table, he instantly pulled up his pant leg and pointed to his leg. He wanted the doctor to check his reflexes. This cracks me up since that is done at most once a year at his annual physical. 

At one point, he hopped off the table and beelined for his doctor. He immediately tried to sit on his lap, and our doctor helped him up without breaking his explanation to us. Teddy was grinning from ear to ear under his mask, so happy to be there.

He's such a goofball, and it's great to have an easy doctor's appointment. He often struggles with the wait and things like blood pressures, but each good experience helps build muscle memory that these things aren't so bad after all.

And I love that our doctor understands Teddy and embraces him, quite literally sometimes.