Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Preschool vaccinations

26 replies

HalloHello · 24/04/2022 20:06

My just turned 4 year old is due her vaccinations on Tuesday. She is absolutely terrified and gets hysterical every time we talk about it. We have done role play, watched the Bing vaccinations episode, talked about it etc but she is still terrified.

I just don't know how I'm going to get her to have them. I don't want to hold her down as that's going to be traumatic for everyone but I just don't see another way!! I don't even know how I'll get her into the GP building. I'll have my baby in a buggy too who gets upset when other people are upset 🙈🙈

Any tips?!? Help!!!!?

OP posts:
Rainallnight · 24/04/2022 20:08

You may well just have to hold her down. I have one of those and sometimes it’s the only way. I go for a walk in the local Victorian cemetery afterwards and look at the gravestones of all the pre-vaccination children and remind myself it’s for the best!

hopethisisntoutofdate · 24/04/2022 20:15

Be very matter of fact, and bribe her before and after. Needs must.

serenghetti2011 · 24/04/2022 20:18

I wouldn’t have mentioned it until the day it was happening tbh. All thIs build up means she’s thinking about it and dwelling on it and getting herself in a state about something she really doesn’t understand fully and doesn’t have a choice over. It’s not a nice thing to have done but it’s for the greater good. I just told mine we were going to see the nurse and they’d get a treat afterwards. Done no fuss and a few tears.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

4 year olds Childcare & nursery Children's health Families
NerrSnerr · 24/04/2022 20:21

Don't mention it again until you're actually at the appointment.

I didn't tell my children about their preschool injections until we were in the appointment. My youngest wasn't happy but it only takes a minute and if you hold them close to you they can't fight too much!

NerrSnerr · 24/04/2022 20:23

Sometime you just have to hold them down. I remember once my eldest needed a blood test when she was about 3 and I have never seen a child fight so hard and 2 paediatric nurses had to hold her down but she's now she's 8 and she has no memory and no fear of medical stuff.

CrabbyCat · 24/04/2022 20:24

Have a bribe ready with you so they can see it and have it immediately - it needs to be there visibly not something hypothetical.

DC2 got very worried about the needle - as adults we know it doesn't go very deep, but I think DC2 had visions of the whole length being stuck into her arm. If you could distract while the syringe is being prepared (videos on your phone?) it might help?

ThisIsNotThePostYourLookingFor · 24/04/2022 20:25

Can you take her favourite sweetie and give her your phone to watch something she likes to take her mind off if?

Skyeheather · 24/04/2022 20:29

I'm need phobic and when I was pregnant I hated having several weeks notice for blood tests and vaccines, I'd rather just have been told the day before so less time to worry about it.

Because of this I don't tell DC until we get to the appointment and I tell them if they're brave we can go to the supermarket after and a choose a treat (usually a kids magazine and a sweet of their choice). I distract them at the appointment by talking about what treat we might get.

Original poster
HalloHello · 24/04/2022 20:35

I really wish I hadn't mentioned it before the appointment, but everything I have read about preparing children for vaccinations say to talk about it before and not spring it on them. Believe me I won't be doing it again! Also won't mention it again until the day.

I'm going to buy her one of those surprise toy things to open while we are there so it distracts her and take her tablet as well. Then we will go for an ice cream. None of this will stop her being hysterical and fighting me though unfortunately. Of course I will just have to hold her down but I don't even know if I'm strong enough

She's had an awful time in the last month she's had covid, a sickness bug, split her head open and needed stitches and then had concussion with vomiting for more than a week afterwards so she is fed up of doctors and medical stuff.

Sorry if my messages all come at once or muddled, having some problems replying and having to repeat.

OP posts:
Robostripes · 24/04/2022 20:39

Ice cream after is a good incentive but I’d also take smarties or similar (whatever her favourites are) for during the appointment itself. With my DS I shovelled them into his mouth constantly before, during and after the needle going in!

TulipsHere · 24/04/2022 20:41

We told my son it was super hero juice that would help him stop getting ill.
He did cry but we had a bag of buttons ready for him to have.
He told his grandma 'the lady put a sharp thing on my arm and it's stinged but now I have super hero juice in me'!!
Dd1 had hers and said 'no thank you, no thank you' she was so polite it was cute.
It's a necessity evil unfortunately x

TulipsHere · 24/04/2022 20:41

Also I had him sat sideways across my knee so I could hold him still x

ImTheFuckOffCar · 24/04/2022 20:56

Check you’ve left enough time between her testing positive and the vaccinations. I believe it’s either 2 or 4 weeks depending on your trust.

Original poster
HalloHello · 24/04/2022 21:13

Bloody hell that's all we need is to postpone it again!! The letter doesn't mention anything about this so hopefully it'll be fine! It's been 4 weeks on Thursday

OP posts:
NrlySp · 24/04/2022 21:20

Don’t tell her why you are going.
If she can blow on something when the needle goes in - like a paper windmill toy that can help
Buy a numbing plaster so it doesn’t hurt when the needle goes in

TrashPanda · 24/04/2022 21:22

With ours the nurse had him sit on my lap facing me and I sort of bear hugged round his waist pinned his hands to my waist with my elbows. She held the top of his arm/shoulder. We had a lolly with us to give him as soon as it was done. I also only told him the evening before that we were going to see the doctor.

bakewellbride · 24/04/2022 21:28

No advice op but if it makes you feel any better my son really was fine after his preschool jabs. He cried for about 10 seconds then really was ok and that was it. Try to focus on the fact it will be over quickly and I hope it goes well.

Elisheva · 24/04/2022 21:33

I wrapped a present in shiny paper and ds carried it into the nurses room and then held it while having his injections. He did cry but we opened the present straight away and he stopped pretty quickly.

Original poster
HalloHello · 24/04/2022 21:42

I know she'll be fine after, it's the physical act of getting her to sit still and not scream the place down which is worrying me. And it's 2 jabs so once she's had the first one, I doubt I'll get her to have the 2nd. Also from experience the nurse who does the vaccs at my surgery, is slow, faffy and meek so won't be especially reassuring or quick to get it over with.

OP posts:
KangarooKenny · 24/04/2022 21:47

You do not need any time between a positive covid test and her pre school boosters. As long as she doesn’t have a temp, and is well, she can have them.
You shouldn’t have mentioned the vaccinations before hand, so don’t mention them again.
You will have to hold her down, the nurse will be used to this.
Take a lolly or some nice sweets to have immediately after. Have it ready in your pocket.

StuckInTheMiddleOfNowhere · 24/04/2022 21:52

When we got to the gp. I told dd it was for a check up to make sure she was big enough for pre school.
The nurse did the 1st one and she fid6a silent sob. 2nd one she was so upset. Ran out to my mum upset so we went for ice cream, a new play area and then nanny got her a magazine, sweets and god knows what. She forgot sbout it after a while until dh asked her how it went. Then she was all dramatic saying her arms. Hurt and needed more ice cream lol

Thinking2041 · 24/04/2022 21:55

There is an over the counter drug that numbs the skin. I can’t remember it’s name. Use that!
my baby recently had a blood test - it was done privately so they supplied it for him. We had to wait 30mins for it to have an impact. I then distracted him what they drew blood. He didn’t notice

KangarooKenny · 24/04/2022 21:58

Thinking2041 · 24/04/2022 21:55

There is an over the counter drug that numbs the skin. I can’t remember it’s name. Use that!
my baby recently had a blood test - it was done privately so they supplied it for him. We had to wait 30mins for it to have an impact. I then distracted him what they drew blood. He didn’t notice

Emla cream, available over the counter. And you’d need a waterproof dressing to cover it. You’d need it at the top of both arms.

KateTheEighth · 24/04/2022 21:58

Don't talk to her about it

Although if you've got to the stage of role play perhaps it's a bit late....

Just take her, hold her close and reward her with lots of cuddles and her favourite tv programme

bakewellbride · 24/04/2022 22:00

"And it's 2 jabs so once she's had the first one, I doubt I'll get her to have the 2nd."

Could they get 2 nurses in? With ds they had 2 nurses and they each did a limb at the same time so both jabs were done together. This may not be best for your child, just an idea.

Swipe left for the next trending thread