Afraid of the Doctor: Every Parent's Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma is the first book written for parents with the primary goal of equipping parents with the knowledge and skills to support their children through medical challenges on a day-to-day basis, and specifically with medical trauma. The challenge of medical trauma is often under-recognized and overlooked in the healthcare system, often leaving parents to learn about medical trauma and manage it on their own. When parents understand medical trauma and learn research-based strategies to reduce and even prevent it, they become empowered to better care for their child’s emotional and physical health.  

 

Afraid of the Doctor integrates character storylines throughout the book as it educates parents about the signs and symptoms of medical trauma and about the roles they play in supporting their child through medical challenges. Readers will find twelve distinct strategies they can implement to help prevent and reduce medical trauma and otherwise support their child while facing medical challenges or a chronic condition. These strategies are illustrated through anecdotes, step-by-step guides, examples, and research evidence. Afraid of the Doctor provides parents with a foundation of how to select and implement strategies appropriate for their child and family. The book also suggests ways to modify the strategies to support unique populations such as children who are cognitively impaired, very young, or have communication challenges.  

 

This book also addresses the types of trauma that a parent may experience as they care for a child with a medical condition, equipping them with tools on how to recognize and address their own trauma experience related to their child’s medical care.