Too Squeamish for Needles
Tips and tricks for parents when it comes time to vaccinate their child
It’s that time again. You’ve stared at your calendar for weeks dreading this day. You have to take your child to the doctor’s office to get a shot. Memories of your last visit flood into your mind: the screaming, the crying, the terrible guilt of having to hold your child down as a needle is plunged into their arm. The worst part is you completely empathize with your child, after all you have no love for needles either. What can you do to minimize your child’s pain and make the entire vaccination experience easier on your little loved one? The following list contains some tricks to consider for your next shared visit to needle-town.
First, something that can be done before done even before seeing a needle is prepping your child’s site of injection with 4% lidocaine. This can be done 30–60 minutes before the injection, but you should discuss this with your doctor beforehand to make sure your child can tolerate this. Lidocaine will provide some numbing to the area and decrease the pain of injection for your child. The 4% strength is available over the counter in various creams and should be more than strong enough for the task. Again, make sure to contact your doctor beforehand to discuss this option.
The next option is a recommendation for infants between 6 and 12 years of age. A teaspoon of sucrose syrup one to two minutes before injection can help your child through the pain; the though process behind this is that endorphins are released as your child tastes the sweet syrup, blunting the pain and calming them.
Distraction can also be a powerful tool for children. Often times healthcare providers will ask you to turn your child’s head so they can’t see the injection being given, the purpose of this being to take your child’s attention away from the needle and save them from some anxiety, which can worsen the actual pain of injection. Parents can build on to this technique by providing flashing lights from a cellphone, music from a favorite song, or even a favorite toy to distract your child while your doctor vaccinates your child. An example of this is shown in the following video:
Finally the most important thing to do during this whole process is physically holding your child throughout. Children instinctively seek out their parent’s physical contact when stressed and there are probably few events in a child’s life as stressful as getting a shot. Speak with your child, oftentimes the sound of a parent’s voice can have a calming effect as well.
Hopefully these tips will make your next vaccination appointment with your doctor less stressful. Before employing any of these techniques speak with your doctor. There may be specific situations where one or more of these techniques are inappropriate.
Thanks for reading,
Stephen Wang
