Visits to the pediatrician's office are a necessary part of childhood in order to maintain a child's health and to treat the inevitable illnesses that often crop up during the younger years with immature immune systems. A trip to the doctor can be scary for kids, especially for the very young patient. From a child's perspective, a pediatrician's office may be a place filled with strangers using foreign looking instruments that may hurt them or cause discomfort. The fear of the child can then lead to a parental stress and the entire experience can be traumatic for everyone.

Fortunately, there is a line of child-friendly exam tools called PediaPals® that are specifically created to relax and distract little patients with their colorful and whimsical animal-themed designs. Rehabmart is pleased to offer two PediaPals® value kits that include the basic instruments that every pediatrician's office needs to make exams more fun and to help take the "scare out of healthcare."

  

The PediaPals® Pediatric Exam Room Child Care Kit  includes a variety of basic latex-free exam tools that will actively engage and entertain children during their doctor's appointment. The Child Care Kit includes:

• Two Benjamin Bear Blood Pressure Kits (one child, one infant) that features a fun and friendly bear for the healthcare worker to squeeze, along with blood pressure cuffs that can give the child's arm a gentle "bear hug" while his/her blood pressure is taken.  Two (one child, one infant) bladders are also included as well as a cheerfully decorated zippered bag for the kit to be stored in when not in use.

• A fuzzy, plush tiger or lion stethoscope cover designed to distract and entertain children while their doctor listens to a child's chest.
• A smiling, green dinosaur reflex hammer that "kisses" the child's knee during a reflex test.
• A bright blue "Elly" the Elephant Otoscope cover whose trunk (otocsope tip) gently looks into a child's ear to "whisper a secret" to the child.  Also included are (500) 2.5mm and (500) 4.0mm disposable blue Otoscope tips.
• Ten colorful head circumference measuring tapes decorated with Benjamin Bear to gently hug a child's head during an exam.
• Two retractable (retractamals) ID badge holders decorated with a cute brown dog or friendly white cat.
• One cheerfully decorated PediaPals® duffle bag for storage.

  
The PediaPals® Pediatric Exam CliniKit Starter Pack  is a more deluxe version than the basic Child Care Kit and includes a greater variety of animal characters and a wider selection of exam room tools. The Clinikit includes:

• Two Benjamin Bear Blood Pressure Kits (one child, one infant)
• One tiger or lion Stethoscope Cover
• One Jamaal the Giraffe Reflex Hammer
• One frog Pen/Light (AAA battery and lanyard included)
• Four Elly Elephant Nasal Syringes: Two Pink, Two Blue
• One  Elly Elephant Otoscope Attachments:  Diagnostic
• 1,000 Disposable Otoscope Tips: (500) 2.5mm, (500) 4.0mm
• Ten Head Circumference Measuring Tapes
• Five Retractamals: Elephant, Chimp, Panda, White Cat, Dalmatian
• Three Stethoscope ID Tags: Elephant, Chimp, Mouse
• PediaPals® decorated Duffel Bag

When used by a caring health professional, PediaPals® medical instruments can help calm what is often a stressful experience for kids and parents, which in turn allows the doctor to be more efficient and effective, increasing communication between the doctor and patient and creating a general atmosphere of trust. Although PediaPals® products cannot take away all the discomfort and pain sometimes associated with a pediatric exam, they are the right combination of fun and function that help create a better experience for patients, parents and doctors.

Studies have shown that when positive associations with health care environments are established at an early age, it can have a positive health impact on the child in later years by making them less likely to avoid needed tests and procedures. So even a simple thing like getting children to smile and relax when a silly elephant "whispers" in their ear, just might have a positive and healthier impact on them as they grow into their futures.

Rachel Huber,
Medical Consumer Writer
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO