The Teddy Bear Clinic returns Sunday to Seton Coastside, 600 Marine Blvd., Moss Beach, from 11am to 3pm. The event focuses on helping children not be afraid of the hospital. Ages 2-12 are invited to bring their favorite stuffed animal to the Clinic for “treatment”.
To help create this positive experience, the children are encouraged to bring in their favorite toy stuffed animal as the “patient”. The child and his or her toy then go through the entire process of the emergency visit in a non-threatening atmosphere. First, they make an appointment, apply for “Teddy-Cal” insurance, and then have their toys’ vital signs taken along with the “patient’s” history. From there, the children are directed to the radiology department (a copy machine), where an “x-ray” is taken, and onto the lab where a “blood sample” is taken.
Then it’s on to the waiting room. Of course at the Teddy Bear Clinic, there is hardly ever any waiting time. The doctor, upon examination of the “patient”, orders appropriate treatments like a cast, a shot, or possibly surgery and consults with the child and their stuffed animal. Apples are given (an apple a day keeps the doctor away) and then everyone gets a nutritional consultation followed by a visit to the Physical Therapy department.
This is another one of my absolute favorite events on the Coastside.