Put in eye drops
Drops toward the eye defy a strong protective reflex, and the fear of the moment is often bigger than the feeling itself. Pictures that show it step by step make the moment predictable and easier to bear. See the support below.
Put in eye drops
A dropper releases a drop into an eye.
About this visual support
Getting a drop in the eye goes against one of the body's strongest reflexes: to close and protect the eye when something approaches. It is no wonder children pull away, and often it is not the drop itself that is hard, but the waiting and the uncertainty about how it will feel when it comes.
Visual support makes the moment understandable by showing it in calm steps: tilt the head back, look up, one drop, blink. When the child has seen how it goes in advance, it becomes less frightening, because they know both what will happen and that it passes quickly. The predictability takes the edge off the fear.
A tip: count to three together before the drop comes, and show the countdown with fingers or a picture, so the child knows exactly when it happens. Control over the timing lowers the worry. In the Routined app you can add the drops as a recurring step, so they become a known part of the day rather than a surprise.
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