52 | AUGUST 2019 | L&L
baby & toddler
PHOTOGRAPHYGALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKAnnemarie offers the following
tips to improve the experience of
injections and other minor medical
procedures for your little one:
● ALWAYS PREPARE YOUR CHILD AHEAD
OF TIME. Tell her what the doctor is
going to do and why. You can explain
how germs make our bodies sick and
that the injection will give the good
soldiers in her body some weapons to
fight against the germs of a specific
illness. Don’t say it’s not going to hurt
as she won’t trust you in the future if
she experiences it as painful. Rather
admit that you don’t know if it’s going
to hurt and reassure her you’ll be
there for her. Use positive statements
as far as possible, like “I’m here for
you” rather than “Don’t be scared”.
● NEVER THREATEN YOUR CHILD
WITH MEDICAL PROCEDURES. This
will make her believe any medical
procedure is a form of punishment.
● WRAP YOUR SMALL BABY TO HELP
HER FEEL SECURE. If your little one
is six months old or younger, she
can be wrapped firmly in a blanket
to help her feel more secure.
Research indicates breastfeeding
can significantly reduce painful
experiences. Start breastfeeding
your baby about a minute before
the procedure and make sure she
latches properly. Breastfeed during
the procedure and continue for
a few minutes afterwards. If you’re
unable to breastfeed, give her a
bottle of formula or expressed breast
milk, or let her suck on a dummy.
● TAKE A FAVOURITE SOFT TOY OR
BLANKET WITH TO THE DOCTOR OR
CLINIC. A medical playset can be of
great help when preparing your child
for procedures and will also familiarise
her with the equipment. She’ll also cope
better in future if she can re-enact the
procedure afterwards and play out
everything that happened to her.
● IF POSSIBLE, KEEP YOUR CHILD IN
AN UPRIGHT AND COMFORTING
POSITION. Hug her or let her sit on
your lap. Remember, your purpose is to
comfort her rather than assist in holding
her down for the procedure. She needs
to trust you and feel safe with you.
● DISTRACTION CAN BE A GREAT TOOL.
You can read your little one a story or
let her play a game on your phone.
A big, colourful storybook can also
assist to block her view of what’s
going on. However, she may be less
anxious if she can feel in control – you
can ask her if she would prefer to
watch or play a game with you. You
can also distract her by asking her to
give a moderate cough just before
the needle is going in, and again
just as the injection is being given.● TRY USING ICE OR VIBRATION,
WHICH WILL COMPETE WITH THE
PAIN MESSAGE AND REDUCE THE
PAIN. If your doctor agrees, you
can apply an ice cube to the area
immediately before the injection.
Only apply for a few seconds
and experiment with this at home
beforehand, as some children
may find ice painful. Using a small
vibrating device such as Buzzy,
R2 185, wantitall.co.za, just above
the area where the needle is to
be inserted will also help for pain.
Alternatively, you can tap, stroke
or gently rub the area above the
injection site with your fingers or
a hairbrush with soft, rounded
bristles during the procedure.
● USE A NUMBING CREAM.
Remember these only numb the
skin and the vaccine or medication
may burn deep in the muscle.
Ask your healthcare provider
which cream to use, where to
apply it and do so at least an
hour before the procedure. LLPositive
reinforcement after
the procedure is essentials.
If your child believes she coped
well, it will boost her confidence
and she’ll be able to cope better in
the future. If it didn’t go as well as you
anticipated, focus on the positive, such
as how clever she was in keeping her
arm still. A “well-done” sticker or
gold star will further reinforce
what a great job she did!