There’s a saying that you can’t fool a child. Whether that’s factually true or not, children–and their parents–will notice if an office doesn’t seem inviting or if staff doesn’t seem interested in these young patients.
These eye care professionals have worked on filling their child-friendly spaces with right-sized furnishings, appropriate distractions and child-friendly people. All of those details matter in keeping children and their parents engaged with the practice.
START BEFORE KIDS COME IN
Stephanie Lyons, OD, wants to remove some of the fear factor for kids coming into her Chicago, Illinois, practice Lyons Family Eye Care. She created a fun 20-page PDF that’s posted on the pediatrics tab of her website and calls it the “office tour.” It explains every step of the process, from looking for the bright orange awning of the building and what they’ll see when they walk into the pretesting room and an invitation to sit in the big orange chair.
The guide also takes the pressure off the idea that kids need to do well. One page says, “You will cover one eye and tell us what picture, shape or letter you see on the TV. If you can’t see it or are unable to tell us what it is, that’s okay too. Just do your best!”
Dr. Lyons says that parents appreciate this guide as much as children do. “Often, it’s the parents who are quite anxious because they don’t really know how to prepare their child.”
CREATE A GREAT SPACE
Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, of Bright Eyes Family Vision in Tampa, Florida, offers these suggestions for creating a great space.
- Larger not smaller exam rooms. This one may sound counterintuitive since children are generally smaller than adults. But they also come in with family members. “A comfortable couch, child-friendly decor and specialty equipment allow for better clinical services,” he says.
- Separate consultation rooms. The discussion around myopia management is often more effective in a non-exam room. “Having a consultation room reinforces the idea that we are specialists who really care about patient understanding. Additionally, minimal furniture and equipment help parents focus on the conversation.”
- Functional diagnostic rooms. Dr. Bonilla-Warford’s office has a corneal topographer and A-scan. In his old space, portable equipment made the process possible, but in his new, larger space, he has a dedicated space for optical biometry and corneal topography.
- Dedicated kid waiting areas. Many practices offer myopia management and children’s vision services as part of a primary eye care office. “To make everyone’s wait more comfortable, we created three separate waiting areas to keep everyone comfortable: a quiet one with lots of chairs, a kids play area with Duplo Legos and couches near the therapy rooms for families,” says Dr. Bonilla-Warford.
- Kids’ optical focus. Similarly, Dr. Lyons suggests designating a kid-friendly optical to keep their focus in that area. “The kids’ area has chairs, tables, a TV and games to keep their attention. That means there’s less disruption to the rest of the optical, and kids have a great time.”
TAKE ACTION: MAKE KIDS COMFORTABLE
- Short waiting times. “Have lots of activities available in the reception area and optical, and doctors should be ready to move quickly when a child is in the exam room,” adds Dr. Lyons.
- Brush up on your jokes. Dr. Lyons suggests being ready with a joke upon entering the exam room. “That’s the moment of highest anxiety, so starting with a laugh or even a groaner pun can put everyone at ease.”
Show interest in the young patient. Review of Myopia Management Medical Co-Editor Kevin Chan, OD, MS, FAAO, IACMM, adds that doctors should learn about a child’s school activities, or their favorite subjects in school. “That helps break the ice and build rapport easier and smoother.”
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Read more articles in the Getting Started with Myopia Management series. Be sure to check back as the series will be updated regularly with more content.
