4yo vaccinations - pre-warn or surprise???

[Frangipani]

Hi,

My eldest son is having his 4yo needle this afternoon. Do you (or have you) pre warned your child about having the needle or let it be a surprise???

He hasn't had a needle since his 18months ones and never seen an injection done...so has no idea what its about.

Thanks in advance

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[MrsFabuloso]

I told DD about it when she had hers. I think you should let him know, though in saying that, you do know your child the best out of anyone and you know how he will take the news! FWIW, my DD took it really well, she had seen he brothers getting immunisations before though so kind of knew what it all was about.

[RhiChiChi]

I told our DD and she got to go out for ice cream afterwards - that was the treat she wanted.

[Rumpleteaser]

Personally I will tell DS, but I won't drag it out all day, I will let him know a couple of hours before going to the Dr.

[~me~]

Pre warn. I told both my kids a few days before. I also showed them where the needle was going to be and explained and demonstrated what it might feel like by giving them a little pinch. My kids deal better with knowing what is going on rather than a surprise. The promise of a treat after also helped

[Frangipani]

yeah...was definitely going to offer a treat...there is a maccas across the road from the doctors that he constantly asks to play in...so i might mention about going there after he is a good, brave boy at the doctors. might begin to prewarn at lunch time (appointment is not til this arvo...and at our doctors they said we have a 30min appointment with the clinic nurse prior to the needle appointment).

My mum thinks i should do the surprise attack...cause that's what she did to us (then maybe that's why I never had any other needles due to fear until i began the TTC fertility treatment journey).

I wish he'd seen me get needles to show its ok too. Hopefully I'm just worrying about nothing and he barely flinches like some of my friends kids.

Thanks for the advice everyone

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[~*Niadalla*~]

I pre warned for a week. I didn't hapr on about it, I just gave DS the facts. I told him it was called an immunisation and it was to stop him getting really really sick and having to go to hospital.

I told him there was a little needle and it would go into his arm and it might hurt for a second, but then it wouldn't hurt at all after that.

He was really great. No tears, no noise. He watched it and it didn't bother him.

Good luck!!

[AndiE]

I agree with pre-warn. My DS1 had his 4yr vaccinations last week. I kept it simple, said he'd have two needles which would feel like a little pinch and would be over really quickly. When he asked "why" I said it would stop him from getting sick when he was older. I also said I'd take him out for a treat afterwards. I mentioned it 3-4 times in the 24-hours leading up to it, but without making too much of a deal of it as I didn't want him to get worked up about it.

He was pretty good when he had the shots, he sat in my lap and (as you do) I held him nice and close - the nurse was fantatstic too, which helped. She managed to distract him just before she put the needles in - the second one was hardest, as he knew what was coming, but as I said, the nurse was great which went a long way to make DS1 comfortable. She gave both him (and DS2!) a lollipop and sticker immediately afterwards

My boys have seen me have lots of blood tests during the past seven months, but I still don't think it makes much difference when it's them in the chair.

Good luck, but honestly the lead-up to the vaccinations (for mum) is worse than the actual event itself.

[Ambersky]

Lots of discussion here over a few weeks, talking about why we do it ect. I got am WC booster at the same time so i went first.

[Feijoa Mum]

I pre-warned but only that morning. I didnt want him thinking too much about it and building into something big.

He did cry a little bit when he got them and did complain of "heavy, sore" arms for the next day or two but other than that he was all good.

He has to have a blood test next week before his operation in two weks. Might give him the heads ups a little earlier for these ones

[Deedles]

Im going to say that I didn't pre warn DS at his 4yr needles. He had to have needles in the hospital after he fell off a trampoline and they thought he had done some damage. So he would know what is in store and would have not been ok with it.
He is like me and the more he thinks about something the more he stresses out and it would have ended up being a horrible experience if I had of told him.

Though with DS2 I will tell him as he likes to know whats going on. I think that each child is different so its up to how you think you should go about it!

[danita]

I'm going to o against the grain, my DS was not pre warned as we would have not t to the surgery. Let alone get the injection. We did the check up 1st and spoke then about the injection with the nurse and the doctor he was much more settled this way and while he did cry he didn't fight it... Normally they would need to wrap him in a blanket and hold home down plus I would have to drag him kicking and screaming for a needle. So I would have been really stressed from the get go. This really was the best option for us! You know your child best though.
Good luck

[Three Graces]

Hi,
I'd definately let them know what's happening beforehand. I let our 4 yr old know that it would be a short, sharp jab (I flicked his arm and he said 'but that didn't hurt!).
They're actually pretty full on, with tetanus in one of the arms, so I'd take some kiddy panadol, just in case. I hadn't used panadol for immunisations before, but he was miserable afterwards and didn't even want to eat the chocolate I had taken.

[Yas]

I prewarned. DS was cool with it, he doesn't care much about needles though. He shocked the ladies doing it they told me to half lay on him and hold his arms, I told them it wasn't necessary but they insisted. When they stuck the needle in he watched and chatted to them asking what they were doing. When he saw the vial of blood he demanded they give it back cause he needs it Afterwards he got a lollipop and he was happy as Larry. DS2 had his after and DS1 got distressed then because his baby was crying, so cute
Good luck! Xxxx

[Yas]

Double post

[Nai]

I pre-warned and used Emla patches on the arms beforehand to numb the area and DD1 didn't feel a thing. I will probably do the same for DD2

[~me~]

I pre-warned and used Emla patches on the arms beforehand to numb the area and DD1 didn't feel a thing. I will probably do the same for DD2

Oh yes! Did this as well. The Emla patch was wonderful.

[Frangipani]

So I prewarned DS1 this morning. I told him that he and I only (DS2 will stay at home) will go to the doctors...where the lady will put a little needle that might pinch a little (I showed him on his arm with a little pinch) and said it will only hurt a little bit and then he can have a treat (his request is for ice cream).

My brother came around and DS1 told him he is going to have a needle this afternoon- just mummy and he are going...his brother doesn't get to come...and the needle is so he doesn't get sick and go to hospital then he gets a surprise for being a brave boy and not crying after (i never mentioned about getting sick and going hospital or not crying...so i feel he seems to understand why we are doing it).

2hrs to go...will let ya know how it goes

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