"Deeply upset by this experience"

My son (4 years old) attends a number of different eye clinics and appointments. We recently attended his optometry appointment in Roe Valley Hospital so that he could have his prescription checked. My son finds bright lights very difficult when his glasses are removed and so the situation was very difficult for him. He became very distressed and tearful and I was so disappointed by how he and I were dealt with by the optometrist. I appreciate that there are other patients to be seen but we were treated with little to no empathy and very little patience. The appointment could not continue and we left both feeling fairly traumatised and not at all supported. My son left terrified and I left feeling that I was to blame for his behaviour.

I understand that tests and procedures need to be completed in order for a successful examination but I feel the situation could have been dealt with in a much better manner. My son sees a number of specialists regarding his eyes and at times he is scared and nervous. He is four years old, I imagine that he is not the only child that feels and behaves this way at some appointments. Today we were made to feel that he is the only child that behaves like this and I was made to feel like a terrible parent as he would not cooperate. We were both deeply upset by the experience, and I am already anxious of how the next appointment will go. I feel that some training, empathy or indeed some basic understanding of how both my son and I feel would go a long way. Perhaps a telephone call prior to his appointment to find out a little about my son, his likes, dislikes, anything in particular he is scared of regarding his eye appointments could have gone a long way. It may not have made a difference but it could have also made a huge difference.