But there were luckily no injuries to report at Dunedin’s very own Teddy Bear Hospital.
Dunedin children lined up eagerly with teddies and soft toys in hand at the School of Dentistry’s Walsh Building yesterday, for the event organised by the Otago University Medical Students Association.
Third year medical student Pearl Bir said the event was a chance for students from all of the different health disciplines to come together and create a friendly atmosphere, and to reduce the perception from children that doctors and dentists were "scary".
"Usually when they go it’s to fix something that hurts," she said.
"There are some kids who just have the worst luck and have very heartbreaking diagnoses, so we just want to make them completely comfortable to be open with us.
"If they open up to us more then we can help as much as we can."
Ms Bir said giving a teddy a check-up was "very similar" to how it was done in real life.
Medical students checked the teddies’ temperatures and listened to their heartbeats, while physio students checked their mobility.
An obstacle course representing a red blood cell making its way through to the lungs was also set up for the children.
Stickers, food and water bottles were also being handed out.
It warmed her heart to see children cuddling their teddies and she had seen a few children with a "big smile walking out the door", Ms Bir said.
"It’s very wholesome, it fills all out hearts just seeing all the kids have fun."
Sophie Steel, 4, brought her soft toy "Giraffey" along to the event yesterday.
After examining the stuffed animal with a stethoscope, second year medical student Hayley Wong said Giraffey had a heart that sounded "really good".
"She told me that he didn’t have a heart, but I think he does."
A dinosaur and an otter were among some of the hospital’s other patients and who had been just as healthy as Giraffey, she said.
"I think they’ve been treated pretty well."
