Images start at zero and work there way up consecutively. Parents who tell their child what to expect are building trust as well as courage.
Toddlers become very protective of their bodies and fear being handled by strangers.
This makes a physical exam particularly challenging for the doctor, but an understanding parent can use a picture story to illustrate the visit ahead of time. For children this age, physicians expect to conduct most of the exam with the child on mom or dad's lap, where the child feels more secure. But from age 3 through 6, more options are available for arresting fears. His mother had prepared him very well. He was familiar with the instruments and did fine when it was time for his exam.