This is not going to be fun. I’m taking the boys to their pediatrician on my own. Lizze will stay home with Gavin so he isn’t exposed to anything unnecessarily. Since Lizze doesn’t drive, It’s on me.
Anyway, Lizze called to double check something in regards to our appointments this afternoon and because of the risk that one or both of them could be dealing with Whooping Cough, there are certain precautions that will have to take place when we arrive.
The boys will not be allowed in the waiting room. They will wait outside while I check them in. I will be given masks for them to wear as they are immediately escorted to an exam room.
Not a huge deal, unless your kids are Autistic and barely tolerate clothes to begin with. A mask on their face is going to be a fucking nightmare for them.
That said, we’ve prepared them for that and they sound like they might do okay with it. Frankly, they don’t have a choice but I’m grateful they are being cooperative at this point.
They understand why it’s important and that may help them to cope with it a bit better.
Hopefully this goes well because I’m not in a place to deal with it going any other way.
Get them to choose the colours and materials.
Phone ahead and tell the nurses that the boys have sensory processing disorder and don’t like paper and elastic sticking to them.
I wish I’d seen this earlier! I don’t know about them just putting on masks. But if I’d had to do that with a younger child who was reluctant, I might’ve played it up as a silly but necessary thing. OR even pointed out others who had to wear masks. Depending on child I might’ve mentioned all the doctors, nurses, NPs and PAs that might need masks and they save people. Or to be fun and goofy I would’ve pointed out superheroes who wear masks.
Maybe that wouldn’t have worked…hope it went well.