You may be tired of hearing us say it, but childhood vaccines are the #1 way to protect your nearest and dearest from the risk of serious illness. Even so, it can be awful to watch your little one whimper and howl at the sight of the needle. If you’re one of the many moms who feel pangs of regret whenever immunization time rolls around, read on for some ways to make it better.
Resist the temptation to put it off. Delaying vaccines just means your child will be older when the moment of truth arrives. The older kiddos get, the more clearly they remember (and fear) the shot. The current immunization schedule calls for the bulk of vaccines to be given before age 1. Stick to the schedule and they’ll be up-to-date before the fears of toddlerhood hit.
Make going to the doctor as positive an experience as possible. Your attitude is critical here. Kids follow your lead. If you’re cheery about the visit they’ll take their cues from you. Ditto if you’re anxious.
To keep kiddo comfortable, bring along his lovey blanket or favorite toy. Bribes — I mean motivators — work well. Try to bring a special snack or offer a beloved activity immediately after the visit whether a shot was given or not. The idea is to associate good stuff with a trip to the doctor.
Don’t lie to your child. Don’t tell him he’s going to Grandma’s house and then detour to the doc’s office, and don’t say there won’t be a shot if there will. MOST important … don’t promise that it won’t hurt. When it does it will erode his trust in you and make it that much harder next time.
At the same time don’t give a lot of advance notice about the shot. The more time he has to anticipate an ouch, the more it will get built up in his mind. Be clear and tell the truth, but not too long before the fact.
When the moment arrives it sometimes helps to offer distraction. For infants, it’s a perfect time for the comfort of breastfeeding. With older ones there’s a little trick that can work wonders: ask kiddo to look the other way (it helps if there’s a picture on the wall to focus on) and cough three times. Often they’re thinking so hard about following your instructions that they ignore the shot.
For those kids who’ve already worked themselves up into a bit of needle phobia there are some advanced tools available. EMLA cream is a topical anesthetic that is applied to the skin and reduces sensitivity to pain. Call ahead to request it, because it needs to be applied 30-45 minutes prior to injection. A new device called Buzzy is shaped like a bumble bee and applies a sensation of cold and vibration to the skin next to the injection site and helps block the nerve pathways from feeling the shot itself.
Coming soon, most if not all immunizations will be available in alternative forms like a patch or nasal spray and we’ll look back at the days of shots for kids like it was ancient history. Until then smile, dry their tears, and take heart — it’s over in a split second.
The information provided by MamasOnCall is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, but is for information purposes only. You assume full responsibility for the health and well-being of your family. Talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychiatric condition.
Hello Ladies,
I think you’ve hit upon a perfectly legitimate reason to get those shots done early. We’ve chosen a delayed vax schedule, and if I could go back in time and do it all again differently, you bet I would. Our son just turned four today, and I’m preparing myself for the next round of innoculations. We now have a family tradition: stopping for a snack on the way home: a special treat of root beer after the shot for Kiddo (yep, bribe time), and a glass of beer for the emotionally-drained adults. We’ll try “look away and cough” next time, but maybe lobby the pediatricians at the clinic to pick up a Buzzy or two. Great article.