My poor middle guy. He’s like me when I was small - terrified of needles of any sort. And he was sick recently, on the same day as little one’s physical. Little one needed a blood test and middle saw the whole thing - he was absoulutely horrified. Now he has to go for a blood test of his own. :(. He’s the one who fainted while vomiting. I used to faint for needles too. How best to handle this? A couple of things I’m doing. First, we will schedule it for a week or two from now. Second, little one told him the next day “Look! its all better now!” and he took off his band-aid. Next, he has been extremely jealous of eldest son’s birthday gift - a kyle busch uniform jacket. His fave driver is Kasey Kahne so I ordered the jacket. Will hide it till blood test day then tell him if he’s brave he can have it. Last, I’m thinking that it might be best to have Dad take him for the test. He goes to mom for comfort but always wants his dad to see him as being big and brave…so perhaps it would go better with dad? I’m also asking that the other doc in the practice be the one to do the test so that he doesnt become afraid of his regular doc. He regularly sees the wife and she practices with her husband…so I’m thinking if Dad’s there and the husband doc, he may be braver? Or would this maybe traumatize him more?
Re: :( Handling child's fear of blood test
It's really tough to make a child understand not to be afraid of the needle.
My daughter was scared till 4 yrs old, and then braved up and would actually watch the nurse put the needle in - and just say aaaahhh. That's it - she would not cry.
My son, however, would cry from the time he found out that the dr. is ready with the shot. It took lots of encouragement and bravery stories about his sister!! LOL He is 6 now, and last month was his FIRST shot that he braved up to! He felt so proud of himself and he now felt he was equal to his sister in the bravery dept. lol Each child take their own time in learning and facing their fears. If we encourage them to be brave, then they too will learn that it's ok and they will be fine.
So I think at 6 my son has faced his fears and now feels he is big and brave boy.
MO3: Just a couple of tips:
1) Just explain everything to your child first.
2) Let him understand WHY he needs the shot
3) Use all the right words to help him understand how long it will hurt for (ex: a small pinch, and will hurt just a bit)
4) Let him SEE other kids taking the shot.
5) If other kids are crying - then ask HIM - what does he think happened?
6) He will in his own word explain - and he will understand that the "other" kid cried far more
7) He will TAKE this fear in. He will be afraid for a while.
8) This is the time you tell him - "look the other kids stopped crying, maybe it doesn't hurt any more"
9) Let HIM do the talking next.
...and follow up with encouraging word.
It will take a while to get used to it, but there won't be "fear". That's how I did it for my son... now he tells me - mom only babies cry, big kids don't.
Re: :( Handling child's fear of blood test
He can be kind of ok with regular innoculations - I mean he cries and he's scared but he's actually not too bad. The thing with the blood test is that the needle goes in to your arm vein, its connected to a long tube and the tube empties into a vial. They need 2 vials so its switched out. He gets SOOOO upset when he sees "the red coming out", he actually thought the doc was going to kill his little brother cause it looked like so much blood. Poor kid. I did explain that it was just a little bit, I told him that he probably has 3 gallon milk containers of blood in him (not sure if thats true but he got the point). He does understand all the logical points about having to get shots and blood tests...he just finds them upsetting in the extreme - and the blood test is just his worst nightmare. :(
^ blood tests are hard for a grown up too... I mean - I get scared too. It's a long process. Do not take your other kids in the room - seriously.
I know it's gonna be hard, but keep a comfy toy for him to hug / play / hold while he is there.
Re: :( Handling child's fear of blood test
MO3, at my daughter's last physical, she got 2 shots and a blood test. I was given the option to have her come in another day for the blood work but I wanted her to get over with the trauma on the same day so I took her to the place and she kept asking me why we were there. I didn't have the heart to tell her as she looked at me with mixed feelings of curiosity and immense fear. So finally when the lady called her name, I told her that I would be so proud of her if she went through this with courage and would reward her with something. She was like, why do I have to get this? So I explained to her how the doctors wanted to see if her blood was clean and if her tummy was acting good and just this one little thing would make her even more healthy.
Then she sat on my lap but burst out crying when they were trying to find her vein. But as they started drawing the blood, she got fascinated by the color and the lady distracted her by talking about the gift her mommy would be getting her, etc.
After that I made a big deal of it all and called her dad and told him what a brave daughter we have and bought her a little coin purse of her choice.
So, I think you can't really take away the fear. Hey even I've got it at this age :D but we can talk them through it and just make it all better.
Re: :( Handling child's fear of blood test
I have a terrible fear of needles. As long as I don't see the needle, I can deal with the bloodtest. Don't let him watch.
Re: :( Handling child's fear of blood test
Thanks all...its so very hard to force my little guy to go thru this, something that is like out of his worst nightmare. His race-car jacket will be waiting for him when its done. Yes, he will not be able to watch...the docs have little ones lay on their backs, parent lays across their stomach/chest to hold them down, nurse holds the arm still and doc does the needle. Its really a tough thing man...esp for me, one who did everything/andything to avoid needles in the past lol. Hopefully, since he wants this jacket so very badly, he will get thru it ok.
My poor middle guy. He's like me when I was small - terrified of needles of any sort. And he was sick recently, on the same day as little one's physical. Little one needed a blood test and middle saw the whole thing - he was absoulutely horrified. Now he has to go for a blood test of his own. :(. He's the one who fainted while vomiting. I used to faint for needles too. How best to handle this? A couple of things I'm doing. First, we will schedule it for a week or two from now. Second, little one told him the next day "Look! its all better now!" and he took off his band-aid. Next, he has been extremely jealous of eldest son's birthday gift - a kyle busch uniform jacket. His fave driver is Kasey Kahne so I ordered the jacket. Will hide it till blood test day then tell him if he's brave he can have it. Last, I'm thinking that it might be best to have Dad take him for the test. He goes to mom for comfort but always wants his dad to see him as being big and brave...so perhaps it would go better with dad? I'm also asking that the other doc in the practice be the one to do the test so that he doesnt become afraid of his regular doc. He regularly sees the wife and she practices with her husband...so I'm thinking if Dad's there and the husband doc, he may be braver? Or would this maybe traumatize him more?
man, where are the good ol' days, when a nurse would just grab his arm and hold still, while a doc puts in the needle and draws the blood... nu fuss, no problems, no 2 weeks' planning, everything over in 2 mins
man, where are the good ol' days, when a nurse would just grab his arm and hold still, while a doc puts in the needle and draws the blood... nu fuss, no problems, no 2 weeks' planning, everything over in 2 mins
My doctor still does that to me! He told me to 'hush up and think of your favourite ice cream flavour'.
I used to love getting blood tests done when younger, hate them now.
Our nurses used to use ' magic cream' which I later found out wasnt 'magic' at all, but would still use it, its the placebo effect, works really well.
My doctor still does that to me! He told me to 'hush up and think of your favourite ice cream flavour'.
I used to love getting blood tests done when younger, hate them now.
Our nurses used to use ' magic cream' which I later found out wasnt 'magic' at all, but would still use it, its the placebo effect, works really well.
Who likes bloodtests!?!
Weirdo :p
Who likes bloodtests!?!
Weirdo :p
We used to have to get them done every 6 months (genetic condition) and whoever went first out of us siblings would get longer to play in the play area at the hospital. Simple minds innit!
We would literally sprint to the nurse jumping 'me first, me first' and then cry if we were last, cos once they put the magic cream on our hands my mother wouldnt let us move from her side!
Re: 
Handling child’s fear of blood test
^ Awwww 
Re: :( Handling child's fear of blood test
One of my kids had to go for a blood test today.
Child: Miss Milly, my mummy says I have to go for a blood test.
Miss Milly: That is the BEST kind of test, you dont have to prepare for it and you can't fail it! How lucky are you!
Child: thinking very hard ok, I think im ready to take the test!
I was actually quite suprised he believed me. I make a drama out of everything and all of sudden they seem to realise it isnt so bad afterall.