|Articles|June 1, 2008

One way to distract a pediatric patient

How to distract a child at the pediatric office to give more time to talk to Mom and Dad.

The art of distraction

I start by ripping open the top of the paper sleeve holder, folding it down to expose just the top of the blade. I then show the child how to draw a face.

The invitation to be caretaker is irresistible for boys and girls, and buys me time to talk with the parents. The child can also be asked to draw another face on the other side of the blade, to give you more time with Mom and Dad.

Peter Belamarich, MDBronx, NY

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