So she usually speaks directly to the child, inviting the parents to chime in as necessary. In a well check-up, for example, Hennessey might ask Johnny if he wears a seat belt all of the time or some of the time. While the parent might insist that he always wears a seat belt, Johnny might admit that he sometimes forgets to buckle up when going to the store. Hennessey takes advantage of such a response to talk about the importance of consistent seat-belt use. Prepare the child for medical procedures.
Communication can be difficult when a child is sick.
Not only does the child feel ill, but he or she might also need to have an unpleasant medical procedure performed. When this is the case, Hennessey uses humor and real-life examples to help prepare the child for the procedure. When Mary needs a throat culture, for example, Hennessey might first show her what a swab looks like and let her feel the soft tip. Sometimes she might even let Mary try to take a culture on a doll. Appreciate developmental differences.