Anti anxiety medication for needle phobic child?

Erm, TBH it had not occurred to me that it might be possible for it to take longer. But for me, it's the bit where the needle goes in or out that I find difficult and so if I had to stop in the middle and wait for them to get something, it wouldn't be so bad. I also got better at having blood taken since I had two children (four pregnancies) in Germany and they are obsessed with taking blood and take it at every appointment, so I got more used to it and can cope better with blood tests now. I am still not great with injections, but again covid helped because it wasn't as bad as I remembered them being from school.

The worst one was when I was in labour with DS3 and they were trying to put a line into the back of my hand, which they do "just in case" you need a drip etc. It took forever, sitting through contractions when I wanted to stand was bad enough, let alone the needle torture, and then she said "Oh I'm so sorry but I have missed the vein and need to redo it". I wouldn't let her do another hand one, I made her put it in the crook of my arm instead, even though she said it would be more painful if I did get anything through it, at least it was easy to get it in. Then I had my (at the time) first ever lateral flow test (and that was when they used to tickle your brain through your nose as well!) I was SO pissed off about all of this, but especially that they never even used it, even when they took blood the next day and it hadn't been removed yet!

I'm a needle phobic fainter for jabs.

You can get ask the pharmacy for some kind of numbing gel.

Also work at home to desensitize her if you can. Work your way up to watching people get injected. Roleplay it with a pointy pencil.

I personally have to lie down, have my hand held and have someone talking to me. I've also found the only real cure has been getting desensitized by having frequent blood tests through pregnancy,, but even so, I'm still not a fan!!

I’m watching this thread as I have the same issue. DD has severe medical trauma and right now I can’t even say the word blood test without her starting to sweat! She had a blood test years ago which triggered a seizure and she hit her head and ended up in hospital overnight and ever since then it has been awful! She’s had specialist medical trauma counselling but that was only six sessions as that’s all they give and she made some progress but she’s still a wreck! We use Emla cream but the minute it comes out (we put it on at home so we have less time at the hospital) there is also LMX cream and lidocaine cream I saw you said she’s allergic to emla! She starts panicking. We always get an actual anaesthetist to do it because with DD you get ONE shot and she’s not got great veins and she will only tolerate one try.
I’ve got an appointment at the GP on Monday because she really needs help with her anxiety as she’s got a lot going on with her health and needs more surgery and is at the hospital regularly so we need to deal with it!!

@BertieBotts What happens to you when you are counting and realise that the blood test is taking longer than normal? Eg: dehydration, phlebotomist needing a bigger volume of blood.

I have thought about counting down til it is over as being a good option as well, but I get worried for DS when I know it could take longer than anticipated. For example, last week, the paeds took three attempts (a registrar had two goes and then the consultant). DS handled it well and then fainted 😬. He is old enough that we can debrief and figure out how we can improve it (he hadn't drunk anything to prepare as the test was spontaneous) and the next test went smoother.

If she's clever and loves numbers - counting up in primes or something might be the trick.

Counting to know when it's over is definitely the most helpful thing to me. Counting in a way which is slightly more difficult is even better as it forms a joint purpose of countdown and distraction. I tend to count in another language but if she doesn't know one, saying the alphabet backwards might do.

I've had a needle phobia since I was a child. I have had CBT for it. It was a referral through my GP. It helped me to begin tackling the phobia and I'd recommend it as a way of coping. I have discovered emla cream in recent years which has really helped. The other effective tactic I use is to listen to music with headphones. They can talk to me if they like to try and distract me but with having the music on it helps to break some of the intense focus I used to have on what was happening. Having the test first thing also helps and not turning up early for the appointment so there's less time to wind myself up waiting.

I really feel for your dd, it really is such an overwhelming feeling. Like a fight or flight moment.

Watching with interest as DD takes immune suppression meds and needs regular blood tests but she has been terrified of needles since a bad experience where they tried to put a cannula in 2 years ago. They use the freeze spray, emla cream and they a butterfly needle but it's more the anticipation so I've considered calming meds as well.

You need to get som Emla numbing cream
https://www.chemist-4-u.com/emla-cream-5-5g-1

Check that the pack you are getting includes the right kind of dressing (the smaller packs for single/occasional use do) or if buying a larger tube for regular use, buy separately a pack of dressings like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0742J6KMB
if needles are a regular thing

The instructions underestimate the effective timeframe - leave it on for a bit longer to get a better numbing effect. Make sure there is a big lump of cream under the dressing, the first time I used it on a dc I didn't really understand and did it wrong.

It's ok to apply several patches in different places if you aren't sure where the needle will go in.

I need to add that it is so important to present a calm, confident and generally non-emotional front to your DC, even when you might feel as anxious and as stressed as they do about the blood-test.

I have a DS (ADHD, autism) with needle-phobia. This came from having to have regular immunotherapy injections (intramuscular) that would take around 2 minutes and he had to hold completely still.

For blood-tests, we have a routine, which may be helpful.

Drinking half a liter around 45 minutes before the tests (keeps veins plump and easy to access).
Emla if he wants.
Can wriggle his toes, squeeze my hand as tightly as he can and make as much noise as he wants (roar like a lion or cry) but he must hold the blood-tested arm still and he cannot ever kick or punch.

His additions - the doctor or nurse need to count to three before puncturing.
Silence from me (😊) and no looking at the blood.

We have used distraction during, just chatting about silly things and stories. We never tell him too far in advance to prevent sleeplessness and anxiety. We also warn him that it may hurt but it will be over quickly, just like last time. And then a reward of some sort - lollipop or something. Also, blood-tests are non-negotiable. He needs to have it but he can choose how he and we deal with it.

Is that like a desensitizing service? I wonder how long the wait time is? I hope it works for you. Its very difficult to access medical care for people with such high anxiety, particularly now there are so few home visits.

Oh your poor daughter, I went through similar with my son and it was so stressful.
can I ask what the bad experience she had was, as this is important? Have you talked it through with her, empathised and worked out a way that it won’t happen again? Giving any sense of control that you can helps too, she gets to choose when/where/who (as far as is possible). For my son he’d just had too many negative experiences in the children’s hospital that he eventually said he will only allow the Gp to do the bloods. Logistically it was challenging as they needed to be rushed over to the lab in the hospital to be frozen and sent abroad but we facilitated this ourselves and it worked out fine.

It also helps to breathe out and keep your arm relaxed as the needle goes in if she’s able to control that.

What about buzzy? You could phone the unit and ask if they already have something like this - it blocks the nerves so the child can't feel the injection.

https://www.buzzy4shots.co.uk/

Or, tell her they use sugar syrup to help babies feel less pain when they have vaccines (which is true where I live and does seem to have some clinical evidence) then tell her it should help her too and give her a lollipop to suck on while she has blood taken.

I feel so sorry for your daughter as I am the same and have been since childhood when I needed a lot too. The only thing that helps - doesn't get rid of the fear completely though - is to take as much control as possible.

So, drink lots beforehand and make sure I'm warm to keep the blood flow better. A nurse also said to me to try and get them done no earlier than mid morning, so that everything is moving about better anyway. I have no idea if any of that helps, but 'doing' things is all I can focus on.

The other reasonably helpful thing for me personally is if they tell me what stage they're at - so, 'halfway there' sort of update.

These suggestions are definitely about control for me and that's all I can do.

I hope you find something ❤

How would she do with a placebo?
Something like rescue remedy or some homeopathic pills for anxiety? If she’s got lots of allergies homeopathic something might be less likely to cause a reaction than something with possibly measurable amounts of flower extracts. You could use tic tacs if you think that would work for her, but something that looks more medical might work better if she’s used to seeing medicines and will notice the difference between homeopathic sugar pills and actual sweets.

I hope you get some good solutions OP. I saw a girl at my local blood clinic with this issue, it was very sad and she was terrified and ended up not getting the bloods taken :( hopefully you will find a solution like CBT, hypnosis, sedation. I had a friend with a serious phobia that interfered with her life and hypnosis cured it

This might be a stupid suggestion but I get blood tests regularly in a blood clinic.

I honestly don't feel the needles so I asked one of the staff there why. She told me they use finer needles and also it's what she's done all day ever day for 20 years plus so she's got to be good at it as she's perfected it.

Is there anyway you can ask about finer needles and also if there's anyone who is an absolute pro at taking blood?

Numbing cream and butterfly needle is a must