The Doctor and You

Elizabeth Levin is a professor of psychology at Laurentian University.

Children are encouraged to read this book before a doctor’s visit in
order to find out what they can expect. The text covers a wide range of
topics, including getting weighed, taking your temperature, listening to
your heartbeat, and checking your blood pressure. Each section examines
whether the medical tool involved hurts and what the child’s job is
during the procedure. For example, in the description of checking the
ears, the child learns that the otoscope—the tool used to check the
ears—just tickles and feels cold, unless you already have an earache,
in which case anything that touches your ear can cause discomfort. There
are tips for parents (such as providing medical kits for play and
watching the play for signs of anxiety in the child) and photographs of
children undergoing the various procedures along with parents and
professionals.

Many children will find The Doctor and You very reassuring; the book
deserves a place in library and daycare collections. Recommended.