"What happens at the Doctor's?": a Qualitative Study Exploring Social Representations and Experiential Knowledge of Medical Consultation in 5-6 Year-Olds

Background Medical consultations can be anxiety-provoking for young children, potentially affecting communication, examination, and adherence to care. While research has largely focused on procedural pain and fear of specific interventions, little is known about how preschool children conceptualize the medical consultation itself. Understanding children’s social representations and experiential knowledge may help clinicians adapt communication and improve care experiences. This study explored how children aged 5–6 conceptualize medical consultations. Methods An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in France using semi-structured individual and small-group interviews during school-based "Teddy Bear Hospital"-type school outings, where children play the role of the parent of their cuddly toy who is ill. Forty-nine children (5–6 years old) from seven nursery schools participated (39 interviews). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis within an interpretivist framework. Results Four interrelated themes described children’s representations of medical consultations: (1) attitudes and behaviors toward doctors, (2) representations of illness, (3) understanding of medical examination and knowledge, and (4) representations of care and treatment. Illness was typically defined through single concrete symptoms and attributed to visible or imagined causes (falls, cold exposure, animals). Doctors were seen as identifying illness using instruments (e.g., stethoscope, thermometer, X-ray), and treatments were expected to be tangible and localized (bandages, injections, medication), sometimes with symbolic healing power. Children demonstrated coherent causal reasoning and actively engaged in caregiving behaviors toward their toys. Conclusion Children aged 5–6 already hold structured, experience-based models of illness, examination, and treatment. These representations shape expectations of care and may influence anxiety and cooperation during consultations. Recognizing and integrating children’s perspectives—particularly their focus on concrete signs, diagnostic tools, and tangible treatments—may support more effective communication and child-centred consultations.