Your Childrens Health

It’s perfectly normal for children to be afraid of receiving an injection or of having blood taken.  For some children, however, the experience of getting a needle can be very traumatic.  Also, children who need to have injections on a regular basis can develop a fear of needles.  It’s a good idea to inform the doctor or nurse who will be administering the needle that your child is very afraid.  As a parent there are certain measures you can take to make the whole process easier for your child.  These include:

• Learning from past experiences
• Understanding the purpose of the injection or needle
• Giving your child choices
• Using pain relief
• Distracting your child
• Comforting your child    

It is very important to learn from your child’s past experience with needles.  Try to remember the last time your child received an injection or had blood taken.  Was it quiet?  Did you have time to talk to your child about the procedure?  Who was present?  Knowing what things help or hinder your child’s fear can help you to make the next experience more positive.  It can also be helpful to explain to your child, using age-appropriate language, why he or she is getting a needle.  Use a favourite stuffed toy as a dummy to explain the procedure.  It can be very scary for a child when he or she doesn’t understand what is going on. 
 

Another technique is to give your child some choices.  Would he or she prefer to be given the needle in the left or right arm?  Lying down or sitting up?  Having some say in the matter can make children more cooperative.  Also, ask your doctor if there are any options for topical pain relief and if they could be used to help your child; they usually offer creams and sprays for topical pain relief.  During the injection, you could try distracting your child.  Make a joke, or engage in conversation.  Sometimes, the child won’t even realize it when the needle is given. 
 

Finally, assure your child that it’s okay to cry or make noises.  Getting a needle is no time “to be brave”.  Comfort your child and let him or her know that you will be there the whole time.  Hand holding can also be helpful.  Basically, try different techniques and use what works best for your child - a needle need not be a horrifying experience.

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This entry was posted on Friday, March 10th, 2006 at 1:22 am and is filed under Medical Care, Allergies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.