Disclosure: The opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do I have any official relationship with them. I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.
What is your child’s least favorite thing about going to the doctor? I’m sure, most of you will say “shots”. My son is eleven and he still hates getting them. We even had to opt for the nasal flu vaccine for a few years to get him past his fear of needles. Now, he does much better; and the allure of getting a new Skylander figure outweighs the sting of the little needle. But we can’t always do that and we don’t always have the option of another vaccine method.
As parents, we don’t want to see our children in pain or full of anxiety. Here are a few steps you can take to teach your child to overcome their vaccination fears:
- Don’t refer to vaccinations as “scary” or tease your child about receiving shots. This teaches children that their shots are a bad thing before they have an opportunity to formulate their own opinion.
- Make sure your child is hydrated and not overly tired before your visit. Both of these occurrences can aggravate the mood of your child making vaccines even more difficult.
- Teach your child the importance of sitting still for their vaccination. While it may make a wonderful comedic session on their favorite television show to flinch and scream excitedly when receiving a needle injection, it is not their best interest in real-life.
- Suggest your child look away during the vaccination. This will also assist in avoiding excessive movement during a immunization.
- Talk to your child while they receive their injection. This is a technique used my most medical professionals. It relieves tension and distracts them from building anxious feelings while they wait for the technician to prepare.
The great thing is, as your child grows older, immunizations will become less frequent. We are looking forward to the teen years when there are only three recommended vaccinations to contend with!
