Four Year Old Immunisations

Alexzander is just about due for his immunisations & I have absolutely no idea how to go about it. He has seen me get numerous blood tests for IVF & Thyroid function, also watched me do my IVF meds and Juliette get her immunisations so he knows what it's all about. I'm just worried that when it's time for his he will absolutely flip out. He is very strong & when he needs medicine I have to literally sit on him (obviously not with all my weight, but YKWIM) because he is very strong & very very stubborn.

I have told him, at each of Juliette's immunisations that he will have to get a needle soon too & he just tells me "no I don't" and won't listen. Should I start warming him up to the idea or is it best to leave him in the dark & spring it on him the day we go?

HELP!

maybe have a ncie suprise ready for him and say if your a big brave boy there is a suprise.

some drs will even organise thsi with you so u can drop it off the day before and organise the dr to give it to hime once he has had his injection..

it is similar to teh tooth fairy and rewarding the loss of teeth and transition into a new stage of childhood.

i have seen many mums do this and it has worked for 70-90 % of them

Not sure how that would go Kellz, we tried that with medicine & he didn't care!

I have been wondering about this too Sarah, Eliza has had so many "grown up" NGT and been in hospital a few times but she knows that makes her better. I have brought up the needle conversation and have told her that we will go into town and buy a special present just for her before the injection and that way she can have it straight after the "little sting".
She seems to be happy with that as long as she gets something out of it:rolleyes:. I'm sure there will be a few tears still.

Bec

oh bribary lol I had Jaidans done and he was so anti needles. I just said you have to or you might get sick, it will hurt a little bit (don't lie, make sure you say it WILL hurt) but then it will be over and he can pick an activity (we went to maccas which is a very special treat :))

My daughter is scheduled for hers in 2 months and 3 days (appt already made :)) I have no intention of saying anything until we get there, as Zander is having his 6 month ones at the same time .... but she is saying she wants her ears pierced so we have said aorund her birthday if she still wants - so this will be my bribery in the office as they are drawing the syringe LOL

All booked in for net Monday (only a month late :redface:) so we shall see how he goes......

Anymore advice for me?

Can you get some emla gel? And take it with you for the nurse/dr to put on?

Yes, great idea Cai, thank you :)

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

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 :)

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

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.

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.

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, 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 :comfort:

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!!

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 :o, 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!