Is your baby due for a round of shots? Needle pricks can look a lot worse than they actually feel, especially to the parent who's watching that needle head for their baby's impossibly soft skin. Any pain your child feels is fleeting, often more like a pinching sensation than actual pain, and it's a pain with a very significant gain-protection against diseases that would hurt a lot more. Still, there are ways to help your child feel less pain with every prick.
• A little cuddle. Studies show that babies who are held by their parent when they receive their shots cry less.
• A little nursing. Breastfeeding immediately before or during the shot may lessen the pain babies feel. Plus, breastfeeding offers the cuddle benefit as well.
• Something sweet. A little dab of sugar water on your baby's pacifier or tongue-given right before the shot-can minimise the ouch factor.
• Anything distracting. Many babies and young children can be easily distracted from anything, and that includes pain from vaccines. Singing a song, holding up a favourite toy, or reading a book can distract young children from the pain of a needle prick or make the time go so quickly, they won't even know what stuck them.
Easing toddler vaccination fears
Once your toddler reaches a certain age, he or she has likely smartened up to the fact that most doctor checkups might include a shot. And this realisation may make way for a fear of shots and lots of pre-checkup anxiety and lots of in-office kicking and screaming. There are ways to help ease your toddler's fear of shots and immunisations while also minimising the anxiety for both of you.
• Ahead of time. Explain to older toddlers that shots are an important part of children's health. They will make sure that they don't get sick or have boo-boos.
• Be honest about upcoming shots. Don't say there isn't going to be a shot when you know there is going to be one. This ploy will work only once, then backfire indefinitely. Mistrust isn't something you want your toddler to associate with doctors.
• Let your toddler know it's okay to cry, but encourage him or her to be brave. Explain that a shot doesn't hurt much (a lot less than banging a knee or scraping an elbow), and it only hurts a second. Practice timing a second to show how brief that really is.
• Keep your cool. If you're anticipating a hard time when the shot's approaching-or if you're sending stress signals of your own-your toddler's bound to crumble.
• If it's okay with your doctor, allow your toddler to choose the site of the injection (the right or left arm, for example) to give your child a sense of control over the process.
• Offer lots of after-shot accolades (even if your toddler yelled and screamed the whole time). This is a big deal for a little kid, so for best results next time, pump up the praise this time.
Combo shots
The fact that many vaccines are now for three or four diseases means fewer shots for your child.
Every parent wants their child to be on the receiving end of as few needle pricks as possible, while still keeping them fully protected against preventable diseases and every doctor would like to give as few shots as they can, too. Enter combination vaccines. Single shots that include immunisations against two or more diseases. You're probably already familiar with two such combo shots-the MMR, which combines the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, and the DTaP, which combines vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. These days, more and more new combos are being introduced.
The obvious good news about these combos mean fewer shots for your child. The even better news is that combo shots are just as safe and effective as individual shots.­