DS having a blood test next week

[faverolles]

Any tips to help this go smoothly?
We will have emla (?) to numb the area, but he is still worried about it.
He is 6.

Don't say that it doesn't hurt, because it will be uncomfortable. I found that the best thing is to DISTRACT DISTRACT DISTRACT. Ideally have an interactive book where he can press buttons (music book, lightning mc queen, otherwise a toy with noisy buttons), hold it over your shoulder so he has to reach with the arm the doctor does not need. In this way you could put him on your lap facing you, his arm where the doctors have found a vein out of sight (many doctors push it on a table to make sure it is still and straight), with the other hand he can push the buttons you ask him to push (noise distracts). Key thing is to not let him look what the doctor is doing as he is likely to feel very scared because of long needle etc. Ask him to make this sound by pushing this button and that sound by that button, keep him busy and distracted and let the nurse and doctor get on with it. Afterwards big cuddle and maybe little present for being so brave, stickers are also good. Good luck.

Thankyou!

I found a packet of fruit pastels worked very well in my dd2 at about that age. She was allowed to start sucking one at the point the dr. was trying to get it in, and keep putting one in until they've finished. Worked very well, she hardly made a fuss.
Was quite lucky in that the GP offered to do it before surgery so she didn't have long to worry about it too.

Agree with distraction! Also with not looking at the needle going in - children are very visual creatures!

Warn him beforehand they are going to squeeze his hand very tight but make up a story like magic squeezing makes it over and done with faster, or some such stuff - the squeezing and holding the arm still is often more distressing that the blood taking!

DS had a blood test a few months back - he is 4. He said he didn't feel a thing after the magic cream. It will be fine. I agree that disraction is good but DS insisted on watching!

Distraction. But don't stop them looking if they want to. Ds2 is sometimes interested or just wants to keep an eye on what's going on.

Thankyou!
Will go armed with books and sweets then, and hope it goes ok.

Thankyou for your advice. :)
He had a first attempt at the drs yesterday. Emlacream applied, loosely covered as we were told, dr tried both arms but failed. (ds wincing like mad but stayed calm and still until just after, when he went White and felt sick)
Went to hospital this morning, emla on again, ended up in the childrens ward, where we were told the cream won't have worked as it needscovering with airtight plasters, so they sprayed it with something and ds didn't even know they had taken any blood!
The nurse who took blood commented that the failed testsyesterday were about half a cm away from the vein

So if anyone has to take their dc for bloodtests - make sure you get the proper coverings to put over the emla cream. I was told it doesn't matter, but it does. Poor ds must have felt everything but was so brave!

oh my bloody arsing lord. the horror, the horror. btest1 - creme, was fine. btest2 - spray, no creme,disaster. dd now proper phobic. btest3 - creme + tranquilliser - disaster. btest4 - same as 3. btests now abandoned altogether. Do not allow it without creme. actually, if I'd known, would have had tranx too the 1st time.