Teddy Bear Clinics!

Going to the doctor can make anyone feel anxious—especially kids. To ease their fears, NVHD staff and Carine Greene, Head of Youth Services at the Naugatuck Howard Whittemore Memorial Library, co-sponsored a Teddy Bear Clinic at the library on February 18th. 26 children, ranging in age from 2 to 10, had a chance to play doctor with their favorite toy, providing it with the same care they would receive at the doctor’s. When visiting with a Teddy Bear team member, each participant learned about medical equipment, such as the stethoscope and otoscope. At the end of the visit, each child received a prescription for their bear; some instructions were to read a book to their bear or give them an extra hug. After their bear’s medical visit, each participant had the opportunity to create two art projects (a headband stethoscope and chalk hand X-ray). The participants were assisted by teen volunteers from the Howard Whittemore Library. We measured our success with all the smiles we witnessed!

Future Teddy Bear Clinics

• Derby Neck Library – March 17th from 10:30am – 12pm
• Seymour Library – TBD
• Huntington Library – TBD
• Plumb Memorial Library – TBD