When I was little I had some traumatic experiences at the doctor getting shots. To say that I was afraid of shots would be a tremendous understatement. It took four nurses to hold me down for a simple immunization. The fact that I remember this means it continued well into the teen years. Embarrassing, but true. Due to this wussy and ridiculous history of mine, I set out to make my kids tougher and better patients than I was.
I started by always prepping them for any doctor appointment, especially those that involved shots. This involves talking it out, reading stories about it, and reenacting it with our doctor kit. My mom didn't tell me ahead of time because she knew I would fret, drag my heals, and, well, make her life miserable leading up to the appointment. This, while she had good intentions, led to me never believing her when she said there would be no shots. Therefore, I was scared every time I had a doctor appointment.
Next thing that was important to me was to be honest about the pain that is involved in various procedures and shots. This was in the hopes that even if my kids developed a fear of the shots, they would at least be okay with all pain-free procedures. I tell them that it really doesn't hurt me, but some people do feel a pinch and that by the time you count to ten slowly it doesn't hurt anymore. For flu shots I get mine in front of them so they can see I am not afraid and do not cry. I also have to get blood drawn a lot and I always let them watch me do this. I still don't like to watch them put a needle in me, so I turn my head and talk to the kids.
The thing that seems to be the biggest help for my kids is giving them a reward for their bravery. Our standard reward is a lollipop immediately after the shot (I come packing) and ice cream later that day. All they have to do to earn it is sit down and bravely take the shot with out anyone holding them down and without crying before the actual shot happens. They can cry after the shot and still get a reward, but I encourage toughness, i.e. to cry only while it is actually hurting. When the pain stops, the crying needs to die down as well. We discuss the difference between bravery and toughness. Bravery is doing what you have to do even when you are scared. Toughness is recognizing that small pain needs a small reaction to pain or none at all. Big pain is a different story, but for the most part they have yet to experience that. Trust me. I had two 10 lb plus babies with no pain meds. I know what real pain is.
All this is to tell you about our flu shot experience this year. We have all had colds the last week or so. I had to prepare the children that they may have to get the flu shots since everyone was so stuffy still. We went through the whole spiel I just gave you all with them again. My parents are visiting and so no one had to watch anyone else get a shot. (I didn't touch on this but in the past the flu shots have been the hardest on the kids because so often they do all have to get it in front of each other. Not a good plan, and I was so thankful to avoid that this year.) The morning of the shots you would have thought we were going to a party. Everyone was super pumped about the trip to Chick-fil-A to get (buy one get one free) peppermint shakes that the flu shot was lost in the shuffle. On the drive to the hospital, Isaac did have me go over a few things with him again exposing his apprehension. "If I cry when I get the shot, can I still have the ice cream?" "How long can I cry for?" "How much does it hurt?" All good questions from my sensitive, and somewhat wussy, son. Hey, no judgement here. I was a wuss too once upon a time.
Hannah volunteered to go first. We counted by sixes to distract her and I turned her head so she didn't watch. She cried only a couple of moments and then she put on a brave face for her sister and brothers waiting in the hall. Genna was next and we also counted by sixes to distract. She barely cried at all, no tears just more whining that it hurt. She also put on a brave face and went out to collect her lollipop in the hallway. Isaac was not so easy to distract. He would not let me turn his head away. He refused to count by sixes, refused to say The Owl and the Pussycat with me, refused even my attempts to sing Adeste Fideles with him. He tensed his arm, but he didn't have to be held down. So bravery prevailed. He cried and then cried again when he got to the hallway. Drew was a total champ and cried only until the band-aid was on. He was fine before I even picked him up. (I got mine after Hannah while Hannah held my hand and counted by sixes again with me. I would have gone before her had there been a problem. Maybe I should have waited and done mine in front of Isaac.)
Oh, I forgot to mention that the "shot guy" said they could get the mist, but they were ready for the shot and were afraid they might not get the reward if they opted for the mist so everyone picked the shot. Crazy! I would have never actually chosen a shot just to get ice cream even though ice cream would have been a great encourager for me to be brave.
I started by always prepping them for any doctor appointment, especially those that involved shots. This involves talking it out, reading stories about it, and reenacting it with our doctor kit. My mom didn't tell me ahead of time because she knew I would fret, drag my heals, and, well, make her life miserable leading up to the appointment. This, while she had good intentions, led to me never believing her when she said there would be no shots. Therefore, I was scared every time I had a doctor appointment.
Next thing that was important to me was to be honest about the pain that is involved in various procedures and shots. This was in the hopes that even if my kids developed a fear of the shots, they would at least be okay with all pain-free procedures. I tell them that it really doesn't hurt me, but some people do feel a pinch and that by the time you count to ten slowly it doesn't hurt anymore. For flu shots I get mine in front of them so they can see I am not afraid and do not cry. I also have to get blood drawn a lot and I always let them watch me do this. I still don't like to watch them put a needle in me, so I turn my head and talk to the kids.
The thing that seems to be the biggest help for my kids is giving them a reward for their bravery. Our standard reward is a lollipop immediately after the shot (I come packing) and ice cream later that day. All they have to do to earn it is sit down and bravely take the shot with out anyone holding them down and without crying before the actual shot happens. They can cry after the shot and still get a reward, but I encourage toughness, i.e. to cry only while it is actually hurting. When the pain stops, the crying needs to die down as well. We discuss the difference between bravery and toughness. Bravery is doing what you have to do even when you are scared. Toughness is recognizing that small pain needs a small reaction to pain or none at all. Big pain is a different story, but for the most part they have yet to experience that. Trust me. I had two 10 lb plus babies with no pain meds. I know what real pain is.
All this is to tell you about our flu shot experience this year. We have all had colds the last week or so. I had to prepare the children that they may have to get the flu shots since everyone was so stuffy still. We went through the whole spiel I just gave you all with them again. My parents are visiting and so no one had to watch anyone else get a shot. (I didn't touch on this but in the past the flu shots have been the hardest on the kids because so often they do all have to get it in front of each other. Not a good plan, and I was so thankful to avoid that this year.) The morning of the shots you would have thought we were going to a party. Everyone was super pumped about the trip to Chick-fil-A to get (buy one get one free) peppermint shakes that the flu shot was lost in the shuffle. On the drive to the hospital, Isaac did have me go over a few things with him again exposing his apprehension. "If I cry when I get the shot, can I still have the ice cream?" "How long can I cry for?" "How much does it hurt?" All good questions from my sensitive, and somewhat wussy, son. Hey, no judgement here. I was a wuss too once upon a time.
Hannah volunteered to go first. We counted by sixes to distract her and I turned her head so she didn't watch. She cried only a couple of moments and then she put on a brave face for her sister and brothers waiting in the hall. Genna was next and we also counted by sixes to distract. She barely cried at all, no tears just more whining that it hurt. She also put on a brave face and went out to collect her lollipop in the hallway. Isaac was not so easy to distract. He would not let me turn his head away. He refused to count by sixes, refused to say The Owl and the Pussycat with me, refused even my attempts to sing Adeste Fideles with him. He tensed his arm, but he didn't have to be held down. So bravery prevailed. He cried and then cried again when he got to the hallway. Drew was a total champ and cried only until the band-aid was on. He was fine before I even picked him up. (I got mine after Hannah while Hannah held my hand and counted by sixes again with me. I would have gone before her had there been a problem. Maybe I should have waited and done mine in front of Isaac.)
Oh, I forgot to mention that the "shot guy" said they could get the mist, but they were ready for the shot and were afraid they might not get the reward if they opted for the mist so everyone picked the shot. Crazy! I would have never actually chosen a shot just to get ice cream even though ice cream would have been a great encourager for me to be brave.
1 comment:
Nice post :)
I think the mist is supposed to be more effective than the shot though...
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