Four Year Old Immunisations

[Lulu]

Do you have a Cold Rock near you? My kids will do anything for cold rock!

[Tanya]

I haven't taken Violet for hers yet either.
You will be amazed at how well he will cope, try not to make too much of a deal out of it. I remember when Emily got hers, it really didn't bother her... it was the swelling and itchiness that followed!!

good luck and I bet he will be fine

[~Saram~]

Ok - probably not the best person to talk to but we tried to get DS ready and all we seemed to accomplish was to add extra stress to the situation. To be honest I would go with letting the dr spring it on him. ie take him for a check up and have the dr bring it up. the surprise from the dr is a good idea though

good luck

[Liz]

hehe Sami - you can tell her the needle is a practice run .. if she's brave with the needle, then she's brave enough to get her ears pierced

Good luck Sarah. Hope he doesn't put up too much of a fight! I don't have any advice either.. I know that some sort of food bribery would work with DS... might keep Cold Rock in mind for us! haha.

[{sarah}]

My new vote is for not telling him, but it's too late now!!

I told him that he had to go to the doctor next week to get some needles. He cried.... A lot He told me he isn't brave & doesn't want to get a needle tomorrow. The only way I could calm him down was to convince him he was not getting a needle tomorrow. Poor baby is so scared

I did have one thought though. I'm going to take his new Lightning McQueen bandaids with us. They're really funky, clear all over other than the picture so they look sort of like a tattoo. He loves them & it might help him to have a special bandaid afterwards.

[{sarah}]

My new vote is for not telling him, but it's too late now!!

I told him that he had to go to the doctor next week to get some needles. He cried.... A lot He told me he isn't brave & doesn't want to get a needle tomorrow. The only way I could calm him down was to convince him he was not getting a needle tomorrow. Poor baby is so scared

I did have one thought though. I'm going to take his new Lightning McQueen bandaids with us. They're really funky, clear all over other than the picture so they look sort of like a tattoo. He loves them & it might help him to have a special bandaid afterwards.

[Papillon]

Sarah, DD is booked in for her's next week too. I will be using the emla gel. I have been telling her for a few month's she will need to have needles soon..... her reaction has been quiet positive, but i fear that will change once she see's the needle!

Sending big success vibes's out for both our kiddies

[Michelle71]

Sarah - the emla needs to be on for 20-30 minutes beforehand for it to work so if you intend doing that you will need to put it on at home (which might clue him in and make it worse) or wait for it to work at the doctors. Neither option sounds pleasant

If your GP / practice nurse is a great needle giver, I would probably not bother with the emla and go for the bandaids Good luck!!

[~Trish~]

My DS1 had his late last year and I was stressed about it too! I had to take DS2 for his 12 month needles on the same day (look at their birthdays LOL) so it was a double whammy. I got lucky because DS1 was actually excited about his needles when I told him , he loves Drs and hospitals ever since he had to go to the dental hospital to have a procedure done. I was still worried he'd freak out once the reality was there so I promised him we'd get an ice cream cone from Maccas afterwards. But he was fine, he didn't even flinch and the needles didn't appear to hurt him in the slightest *phew*.

Is there any kind of bribery that would be irresistible to your DS? Hopefully the bandaids will be a good incentive for him . Good luck!