DS needs to have a blood test today, he is 22 months. I'm feeling a bit stressed about it, I can already imagine his sad little face :(
Any tips on how to help it be not too traumatic? I was thinking chocolate :lol:
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DS needs to have a blood test today, he is 22 months. I'm feeling a bit stressed about it, I can already imagine his sad little face :(
Any tips on how to help it be not too traumatic? I was thinking chocolate :lol:
It helps if there's a good pathology nurse who's used to dealing with littlies. It probably wouldn't hurt to check first. And the emla cream can be handy, though you need to put it on an hour before the needle, and in the place where the blood will be taken from. I used it for DS on both elbow creases when he had to have blood tests done a little while ago, and he was ok with it, but I imagine it will require a lot more distraction for a toddler! Good luck, it's scary. Chocolate is good, for both of you!! ;)
Breastfeeding - although I wouldn't recommend this during the procedure for your nipple safety :o It is a natural pain reliever.
During the procedure - singing, distraction, blowing bubbles, faces on blown up gloves (or turning them into a fish with the fingers as the dorsal fin :D) and keeping as calm and *happy* as possible (ie no crying or screaming from you until later!!).
My preference is to not wrap but some places do. Check before you go so you can be prepared. Also check they have experience with venepuncture and children. And you can call me if you want to :hug:
ETA - I forgot about the EMLA!!!
Okay, I could have brought emla home from work!!!!! Bugger! I guess I'll go in and ask them about it, and if they want to apply it we can do so, and then come back later?
BFing I did think of, thanks for all the other tips girls!! I'm so glad you saw this Michelle ;) I know this place has experience (at least some) with children as I know a few other people who have been there with their kids.
I will be happy, happy, happy and hope like hell that we get someone who knows what they're doing :o so it's over and done with very quickly and easily :pray: Singing might be the go, and chocolate. Yes, for both of us ;)
Anything else I need to know Michelle? I know it's only a BT, but it's been awhile since he's been stuck!
Nothing else I can think of - but the bubble wands are a great distraction. Even if you get to blow them!!! Favourite toy can get a bandaid / bandage too while getting cuddled during. Get your best singing voice on :D But really try for the EMLA if you can. And lots of chocolate after for both of you!!!
awww sez hun its going to be tough :hug: millie had one in hospital and it was awful, though probably easier on her than on N. will be thinking of you and i cant believe you forgot about emla!!
We talked to our Ds2 about what was going to happen and got a toothpick and gently poked his skin so he would sort of know what it felt like.. then we talked about how he would get to see his blood and how cool would that be..
He still cried but it was over pretty quick :hug:
:hug: Hope all goes well today.
I think all of the aboe sounds great. I had a BT at 3 and although I remember being upset, what I remember the most is the hava heart icecream my mum bought me afterwards :-)
Encourage them to NOT take it from places that are more sensitive than others. So NOT from feet, backs of hands, wrist. Encourage them to take it from the elbow.
Take along a Wiggles Bandaid or similar.
Don't stress. And make sure they're quick - don't prolong it. Perhaps even ring ahead and check waiting time.
Singing songs for sure.
Encourage them to look away, so stand so they can't see the nurse. If the nurse is good, hopefully your DS won't feel it.
Pop into the pharmacy and get some Emla for sure!
Good luck Sez, DD is overdue for her 4 year vac cause I can't bring myself to take her!
DS had to have a cannula put in when he was in hospital at about 11 weeks and I couldn't go in, I made DH go and sat in the room and cried. DH came back with tears in his eyes so I think I made the right choice but still feel bad about it now.
Hope N enjoys the bandaids, singing, cuddles and chocolate if not the needle :hug:
Thank you everyone, what wonderful support!
We got there, and waited our turn (I needed one too). When we were called in I told her that it was both of us.........um, that seemed to be a problem! I asked if it was because of my little one and she said yes. They are more than happy to do it, but they like to have two nurses, one to draw blood, one to hold his arm. She was really nice about it, and said she would try anyway if I wanted, but I elected to go back at a time when there's two on. So Wednesday morning it is! I had a Milky Way ready and everything :lol: and I didn't even eat it myself, although I did have my BT. I'm such a brave girl LOL.
I will DEFINITELY take a wiggles bandaid, thanks for that tip MG! And the elbow tip, although it sounds as though that's where they'll take it from anyway. At least I now know where to apply the Emla! Spewing I didn't bring some home from work :lol:
Thank you again, you are ALL wonderful!
It is good that you had one while he was there too. Seeing you have it done it helpful for them. I always spend a few days telling the kids that they need to have a needle before hand and explain that it is so they don't get sick. I even did this when I had to take them with me to get the dog's needles done. Sarah now says every now and then 'Do I need a needle so don't get sick?' For now I have been saying 'Not for a while darling but you will when you are in kindy.' Em knew she was going in for a needle and only cried for a minute when she was most recently jabbed.
Make sure he is well hydrated too, much easier to take blood from a well hydrated person. ;)
Of course, thanks Ange! Duh!
Hun Just saw this i hope the little man is OK? keep me posted xx
And get him to run around before hand - gets the blood pumping and brings the veins out!:
I would apply the emla to bother arms JIC they can't find a good vein in one arm - give the option ;) And take a couple of bandaids JIC they have to try more than once. If they can't get it after 2 goes though, come back another time.
Thanks again, all great advice! I was very needle phobic until my late teens (around the time I started working in dental surgeries LOL) and I've slowly managed to talk myself out of it. Pregnancy totally cured me! :lol: I was so scared as a little one though, I can remember some awful scenes, and I'm really hoping to avoid that for DS. So I appreciate you all being so patient with me :D
Managing parental anxiety is the key to it being a non event (later) for the child. Anything that makes you more comfortable with the process is a good thing, especially with you having previously bad experiences :hug:
It really, really annoys me when people say to a child "behave / don't do that or the nurse / doctor will give you a needle" :wall: We only do it if we really need to so why use it as a threat of punishment just because you can't control your child :angry: The poor kids find it scary enough without that stuff. We try everything to make it the least traumatic experience we can without the parents making it worse before we even go near them. Anyway, off my soap box ...............
Pleased you have found some useful stuff :hug:
Michelle, I am SO with you re. the parental stuff, we see it ALL THE TIME at work. So I think I will be pretty good there ;)
I mean, most kids these days think the dentist is fun. But then mum brings them along, and as they get into the chair she says 'it won't hurt, don't worry, it won't hurt'. WTF? It hadn't occurred to them that it might hurt.......until you said that!!!!!!!!!! And ' get in the chair like a good girl/boy, or Dr xxxx will use his drill on you!'. Aaaaarrrgh! So frustrating. I really want to ask them to leave the room :wall:
So anyway, as you can probably gather, I'm pretty up with the positive parental messages ;)
I knew you would be - I just didn't want to give away your job which would have even more negatives from silly parents ;) I like the dentist and yes, I am nuts :D
You can get emla patches from the pharmacy. Hope Wednesday goes smoothly :)
Oh I hear you mate, needle phob here, thats for sure (stop laughing Michelle ;) )
I will faint every time without a doubt unless I lie down for at least 20 mins after the jab.
DS has had to have a number of blood tests when he was almost one. The best thing, don't be afraid to ask for someone who has experience with kids. DS went to the Childrens hospital for his test and it wasn't a big deal at all. I couldn't take him, I knew I would faint so I handed him to the nurses and walked out. I know it might seem like I was abandoning him, but to see mumma freak out and faint would have been much worse for all involved. He was in and out in about 2 mins. He came out smiling for goodness sake. I was still crying like a baby but honestly he cried about 30 seconds. I outcried him for sure.:redface:
HTH
Spring
Hi, my DS had a blood test about the same age, and really he was fine. They do like to have 2 nurses, but it was just me and the nurse there, and he went fine. I bought a chocky frog with me, as I knew that he would like it, and it worked out great.
He has to have another BT now, but as I had my bub early I have been putting it off.
Spring - I would never laugh :hug: and it is far preferable for a parent to acknowledge their limits with needles so they don't faint mid procedure (NOT a fun experience for anyone!!!). We don't mind holding a baby / child for a needle while the parents wait outside and then they stay the *good guys* while we are the *baddies*. It is also easier to get the job done quickly when you aren't worried about that increasingly white parent (often the daddies ;)) who really should be sitting on the floor before kissing it :D
Hehe Michelle. Spring, sounds as though you did really well with it, good on you hun. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, I already have a Milky Way ready ;)