Hi Moms,
I have to take my 7 year old for a blood draw on Thursday. He has had it done before, but it has been about three years. He hates getting shots and I know he will be screaming at the lab on Thursday. Any tips for me to help him through it? I haven't told him yet as he is a worrier. I will tell him the day before because I don't believe in springing things on him. He is normally a good, polite child, but very emotional. I am having hubby come w/ me as he never has had to witness the shots/blood draw. I bought a special toy he has admired and thought I would surprise him w/ that. A friend suggested I have him view a pediatric blood draw on youtube. Not sure about that. I am going to tell him it is okay to cry and ask questions of the tech, but not to scream. Just looking for some other ideas and maybe reassurance. The lab does have a tech that is supposed to be good w/ kids. But he has always been a hard stick.
Thanks Moms!
Well the appointment was this morning and I must tell you how proud I am of my brave boy! I did tell him yesterday that it was a possibility we would have to go today. He said he didn't want to, but didn't dwell on it either. I told him a friend of his has to go every six months for cholesterol screening and we could call him and talk to him. He didn't call him, but just knowing his friend has to go made him feel better. I explained what would happen and that we would go pick out something special after. I told him he needed to sit still and try to stay calm and it would be over quickly. The techs at the lab were great! They sat him down (he refused to sit in either my or my husband's lap) and asked questions. One tech held one hand and i held another while another tech used the butterfly needle. I distacted him w/ a new toy, but he was more interested in what was going on with his arm. No tears, no problem! Thanks for all the advice, I think I needed to trust my little one more and I was a little sad that he was such a big boy, but happy he was not traumatized at all.
Why is he having blood drawn?
I cry and scream, too. And who likes getting shots?
Please don't tell him"boys don't cry"Maybe this is just normal, you know?
Best, k
Awwwww.....I have a 7 yo boy so I know it will be hard. What I would probably do is plan something fun for right after the blood draw. (And it is OK if he screams--they've seen it all before I'm sure!) Good luck!
With my grandaughter I've noticed that knowing beforehand always helps. Practice with him about taking deep breaths. Ask him if he wants to look or not. Acknowledge that while it sometimes hurts, it only takes a minute- or less. About the hubby... maybe you'll have to calm down both boys, one crying and the other one throwing darts at the technician. Good luck
I think telling him the day before is too soon. He will worry all night. Tell him just before you leave or in the car. He just needs to know it is a doctors appt.
Take him to a children's hospital where the nurses do this all the time, not just a lab at your local hospital. It makes a huge difference. And bring his favorite teddy bear or blankie. I'm not with your friend on watching the blood draw. This is an emotional issue for your son and just plain fear. When it is over.....no matter how he acts, I would take him to buy a little toy. Tell him you know it was hard for him, but he did it anyway and has earned a treat!
There is a topical ointment that can be applied first, to 'numb' the area before the needle is applied. Ask for that.
Ask for a 'butterfly' needle... it is smaller and for smaller veins. Even I as an adult, ask for that. Even my Dad would ask for that. It is common. No biggie. You can ask, for that needle. Anybody can ask for a butterfly needle. I even asked for that with both my pregnancies and when I gave birth.
Next, pediatric wards are used to babies/kids screaming when getting shots. Its okay.
I would not tell him not to 'scream.' It could make it worse.... let him cry even. Its NORMAL and okay. Its scary for anyone, even adults.
My kids have had blood draws and that is what I do with them...
Blood draws are real quick... unless you have an inept technician.
It will be okay.
And yes, you and Daddy go with him, then distract him... and yes, get him a treat/toy afterwards.
all the best,
Susan
I am the same as you and don't believe in springing it on him. I think I told my son a few days before that he would be getting his blood taken soon, but didn't tell him when. Then on the morning of, I told him about it again and I told him it would hurt, but he needed to be brave. I went ahead and had a few jokes ready and told him that I would tell him the jokes while his blood was drawn so just look at me and focus on that and he did and it was over before we knew it. We did go to just a local place and they did a great job - very nice and they told him how proud they were of him too!
I'm 26 and I too hate shots & having blood drawn!!
What works for me is to look away & not watch what they are doing. It also helps if the tech talks to me, asks me questions, etc. to get me talking & not thinking about what they are doing. Perhaps the tech (or you or your husband) could talk to him about school, friends, toys, movies, etc. to get him thinking and talking about something else!
My niece was on some regular medications and had to have blood draws at least 3-4 times a year. She was awful. At age 12 or13 even....it took me, her mother and a tech to hold her down, while a 2nd tech drew the blood. Then somebody finally suggested the topical ointment to numb it. Even though she was just as scared, it went easier, because it didn't hurt nearly as much.
I would suggest calling the lab, so see if they offer that option. If so, you may need to go in early, as it takes awhile for it to work. Also request a butterfly needle--it is much easier on the kids. We took niece to a lab one time (and ONE time only)--requested a butterfly needle...the the lady that ran the place (it was basically a one person operation) refused, saying she didn't believe in them. Her general demeanor was rude, surly and mean--I had heard other people I knew complain about her, also. So we never went back.
Make sure he drinks plenty of fluids before the blood draw, as that will hydrate him, plump the veins, and make it easier/less painful to have blood drawn. It really does make a huge difference...I hate having blood drawn, and they always have trouble sticking me, but being hydrated always makes it easier.
I am honest with my son and tell him that he will feel a pinch, but that it won't last long. I sit in the chair with my son to help keep him from squirming. I find something in the lab to draw his attention away from watching the lab tech. I also sing to him. Good luck!
it depends on your child, you know him best, but i dont tell my son about any kind of bloodwork or needles until we are on the way there because i know he will get himself all worked up and it will be much worse. a half hour before gives him enough time to process it and ask any questions, but he doesnt stew on it. also, something that i have always done with my kids is to be honest, tell them it will hurt a little bit for a second, and then it wont anymore. i tell them to make "the shot face" when they get it, and they all do it, it helps a lot. of course a draw goes beyond the initial stick, so i have a book or something new to them ready to look at during the draw. my son recently had a ct scan and my husband did show him a video of a kid getting one, and for him it helped a lot, he wasnt nervous at all. so maybe a good idea? i dont know, not the same since a ct scan doesnt hurt, but still.... anyway, good luck..
Hard stick many times could mean that he is dehydrated. Give him alot more water than usual. Also give him some magnesium citrate and b vitamin to help calm his nerves. you can start these now.
Do you have a portable truck tv you can take in? he can watch it to one side with his head turned and won't even know the shot is coming. Maybe a cell phone with intenet access?
My daughter is 13, and I have never found an easy way to get through it. The best way was to bribe her, but when she was in the midst of it, nothing worked, all I could do was be there for her. I will be looking at the answers to see if anyone has come up with something I didn't think of. Good Luck. Also, I agreen with Deb R. I would tell him until 30 minutes before as when I did my daughter would stew on it for the entire time she knew. She even admitted afterward that this was the best way.
My son had to have this done and the first time even we didn't know they were going to do it, so it was a surprise to us too. That went fine. The second time we didn't tell him until we got there, and he was OK with it because it wasn't too bad the first time.
Then the nurse did a horrible job, couldn't find a vein, it hurt a lot. I don't know how I'll ever get him to do it again. He still talks about that terrible experience and it was over a year ago.
If he's a worrier, don't tell him ahead of time. I am very open and honest with my kids, but my DH convinced me not to tell my DS and really it worked out for the best for him.
If you have someone good do it, it really should not be painful. Keep him talking and vaguely distracted. Good luck!
Not sure how your lab is set up but when my son needed to have blood drawn I had his younger sister and brother with me and I didn't want us all crammed in that little space when the tech was trying to work so when they called his name I let him go without me. I know, it sounds awful but the place was open, just cubicle walls, so I stood in the waiting room holding the baby and my son could see me giving him smiles of encouragement but I wasn't hovering and he felt "big and brave". He did it without a single tear or scream. I think sometimes our body language and our attempts at reassurance just signal to them that there is a reason to be scared.
Good luck,
K.
