My older son, who will be five in February, is due to receive routine vaccination shots the next time he goes to the doctor. My wife and I are dreading this, because this is a boy who is very squeamish about anything medical - getting him to take medicine, for instance, is almost impossible. He won't even eat a chewable vitamin. And this is the first time he'll have had any vaccinations since he was a baby.
How should we approach this? We're afraid if we tell him about the shots too far in advance, he'll live in fear. But if we spring the news on him that day, it might seem to him like we've been sneaky. I'm sure many of you have been through this. How did you deal with it? How did it turn out?
At that age, I screamed and cried and ran to hid in the bathroom...because somebody gave me a shot that hurt really badly once and it seemed like they didn't know what they were doing.
My brother is weird about blood being drawn, my mom has to do it instead of a nurse or doctor, [luckly she is qualified to that not everyone is].
My other brother, if my mom said, she take him to get a toy or ice cream, something special, if he was good then he'd sit there and do what they would say.
I've heard the theory that you should talk with them and prepare them. I have also heard that you shouldn't tell them it's coming. I will tell you why i think you shouldn't tell him..(i never told my son when getting needles that age). If you tell him he won't want to go to the doctor, instead of getting through the checkup with no problems he will be nervous and scared (over something that literaly takes seconds). Depending on how sever the fear is you could have quite a time getting him to go. Kids, and adults tend to build things up in their minds so things seem worse than they are, if he only knows for a min or two (wisper to the doctor that he doesn't know) than it won't be so bad for him. You can bring along a stuffed animal, take him out for icecream or a treat afterwords to help him feel better, hold him while he's getting it done.
Some might say not telling is tricking him, i say it's giving him some peace of mind.
My 10 year old is still scared of needles, but he will take them if he has to.
I totally agree with Mandy.why put him through all of that unnesescary anxiety.just go to the doc and when it happens, it happens.My youngest son has had to get routine blood draws for years due to a transplanted liver.Before the Tx he was always having to have tons of tests and blood tests and stuff.Some of these tests were very painful and after watching him get all anxious and stuff before the ones that we 'prepared" him for,he seemed to do so much better when the time came if he did not have to sit and think about it before hand.Just take him and le the nurse tell him about it right before it happens,and at that time, just be there and reassure him that it is going to hurt a little but it will be over really soon.I don't think telling him about whats coming will really make a difference in how well he handles it.I would just leave it alone.hope all goes well.Marcia
Have you tried getting the play doctors kits that your son can play with? My daughter is 2 and we act out trips to her doctors. We show her what each instrument is and that the dr. is there to help up. She then pretends to be the dr and gives US a shot. We act very brave but do "cry" a little. We don't want her to think it doesn't hurt, but it is not the end of the world. I took her for her 2 yr shot and she was a trooper. I explained the day of her appointment what was going to happen. Her doctor is excellent too! When it was time for her shot, you could tell she was nervous. I gave her a little pinch on the leg to let her know what the shot was going to feel like. When the tech came in the room to do the deed, Rae was prepared. She gave a loud "ouch" and it was over. I told her how proud I was of her...praise, praise, praise. She also got a treat after..a lollipop. I have NO problems with her getting a shot now. She got a flu shot and she knew what was coming. No problem. I would recommend roll playing with your son. You can also get a cream from the dr. that numbs the site so he will not feel the pinch. Good Luck!!
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