Vaccines & Kids: Some Distraction Techniques
Thanks to Parent.Guide for this great info!
If you’ve got little ones, no doubt you’re dreading their upcoming vaccinations. And with a number of routine vaccines offered free of charge on the NHS, it’s likely that you’ll be putting your kids through at least one in the coming months or years. With some vaccinations available to kids as young as two months old, it’s likely to be a sore and bumpy ride for your offspring.
And because we don’t all have a doctor quite like this one, we’ve put together some easy distraction techniques to help your little cherub their mind off what’s to come. Read on… 
Use a Musical Mobile – We’re not talking a mobile phone here, but a traditional mobile you might hang over a cot or a car seat. Believe it or not, research has shown that, for some kids at least, using one of these – relatively cheap – distraction aids reduced the duration of a resulting bout of tears. Of course, this relies on you planning ahead and making sure you take one along to the doctor’s surgery, but it could be worth a go. Apparently, distraction during painful interventions like vaccines is said to reduce pain perception, so why not give it a go?
Promise a Treat – Okay, so it isn’t quite a distraction technique but it’ll certainly help when they’re squirming about in their seat. The fact is, vaccines – should you decide to opt in for them – are one of life’s necessary evils. Prepare your little one for what’s to come by letting them know that if they’re brave they’ll get something good and a trip to the doctor’s might not be quite as bad as you imagined.
Recite the Alphabet – Successful distractions like simply reciting ABCs, or asking a child to see if they can count to 10, will prove a big help. If this doesn’t work, introduce a brand new and much-loved toy, point out a picture on the wall, or blow some bubbles.
Try Doing Something Funny – In much the same way as that aforementioned doctor managed to distract his mini patient, you might be able to as well. What makes your child laugh? Make sure you fall back on a silly game, joke or story if all else fails.
Encourage a Cough or Two – It may sound silly, but according to health.com, one technique that works is simply to ensure your child attempts a cough or two. It’s been proven, actually; a 2010 study in a US-based journal revealed that coughing once before and once during a routine vaccine helped reduce painful reactions among kids aged four to five, as well as in kids aged 11 to 12.
Don’t Forget a Lolly – Providing you don’t mind your child having a less-than-healthy treat, think about taking along a lolly to give them something to concentrate on while the needle’s going in. Something as simple – and as cheap – as this could well be your savior. If you’ve forgotten to pop one in your handbag, promise them you’ll stop on the way home from the surgery for ice cream, or a small bag of sweets. It may be enough to distract your little one by keeping their mind firmly on something else.
How do you ensure your little one stays bright and chirpy, even during a vaccination? Don’t forget to share your health tips with us.
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