My 3 year old has to have a blood test - any tips?

[PetaPipa]

Has anyone who has taken their child for a blood test got any tips on how to make this as unthreatening as possible for her? Any advice gratefully received - I'm stressed about it.

I've not had to do this but my 3yo ds has seen me giving blood and is fascinated - I think the more you can seem relaxed about it and say things like, 'Oh, I wonder what colour the blood will be?' the calmer she will be. It might be worth finding out if the doctor/nurse will use 'magic cream' as this means the area will be fairly numb. Explaining gently what will happen in advance will help prepare her. I know it's not quite the same but there's a CBeebies 'Get well soon' episode called 'Inject to protect' - - which might introduce the idea of needles. I haven't watched enough to see if there's one about blood tests!

Anaesthetic cream applied liberally overnight under large plasters. A lollipop or prized sweet and all will be well.

Thanks everyone! I think it'll be on Monday so i'll find some videos over the weekend and prepare her.

My 3 yr old had a test after I'll and very dehydrated. He had by then recovered his usual strength and had to be held VERY firmly in my arms It feels like the wrong thing to be doing as ultimately it is against their will. There is no reasoning with them or expecting them to cooperate at 3.

most likely that he will be given a local anaesthetic cream called EMLA that is applied to skin about half an hour before blood is taken. it numbs the are completely so he should feel nothing at all.

if not offered ask for it.

best to apply it to both arms/hands just in case the first side they try it is not working, it saves times (and anguish.
piece of chocolate as soon as needle is out.

he should be ok if you don't look & act nervous. try to be casual about it. he has no idea what's coming so try not to make it into a big deal beyond what's necessary preparation!

or if you think it helps, get some blood taken from you first. if he sees you are ok he'll be more willing to try.

good luck

*numbs the area

sorry, should have said she/her.

I think the cream would be necessary, for an injection less so as they can be quick in and out but with a blood test usually the needle has to be in place for a couple of seconds which means keeping still.

I'm terrified of needles but had "magic cream" for anaesthetic when I was a child and that was absolutely fine.

My 2 year old has had a few blood tests this year. We were given emla to apply an hour before the test. Ask for or buy the tenderderm plasters for over the top and put it on both arms in case one doesn't take properly.

They told me to use cling film the first time but my ds hated me putting it on!

I don't think he really understood so I just said we were going to the doctors and I tried to distract him whilst it was being done. The nurses were lovely. It was a bit of a palaver as we had to go to hospital as they won't do under 5's in the gp's around here. Ds was fine and didn't feel a thing, the emla cream worked really well. Good luck!

DS had this done at hospital recently, they were amazing - they put the emla cream on and left it for a bit, then a play therapist read a (very large!) book with him, so he couldn't see anything, while two blood people took the samples - he didn't notice at all. Is this at your GP's, or a paeds department?

Yeah we had the cream on and then the sample was taken while he was looking at a book and he didn't notice.

I had my son sit straddling and facing me and read a book to him sort of above my shoulder as the phlebotomist did the necessary. If you remain calm and matter of fact that will help too.

We use emla (on both arms and hands to they have the choice of where to go for a vein), then have the kids sitting on mum/dad's lap sideways on, with an arm between your side and arm. Like they're cuddling you. Then someone can distract with a book or bubbles while the blood test is done. The kids don't see it and don't feel it either - just feel that someone's giving their arm a squeeze.

Some 3yo are ok with it all, some (like mine) would get totally hysterical with someone doing something like that to them, so we find that approach is the best and most non-threatening. Just be calm - if you have needle issues it's best to get someone else to take them as it makes it 1000x worse for the DC (bitter experience), promise a trip to the sweet shop after and it should be fine.

I took DS1 (2.4yo) in for a blood test not knowing anything about the 'magic cream' and the phlebotomist was a bit horrified that it hadn't been prescribed, and reluctant to take the blood without it. I had (very) newborn DS2 with me at the time, plus a million other back to back appointments that day so really could not reschedule, so we just got on with it. She called in another phlebotomist to help and I squished DS2, who was in a sling, slightly to one side so he could sit on my lap. They showed the needles to DS1 who looked at me and said, 'Ow mummy?' I said, 'It will ow, but not for very long.' He held out his arm himself, tourniquet on, needle in, DS squeaked slightly and that was it. No crying, nothing. He then got a dinosaur sticker and a plaster over the needle-stick site, while I absolutely smothered him with cuddles and kisses for being so unbelievably stoic about it all. He was entirely preoccupied the rest of that day with showing all and sundry his dinosaur sticker then holding out his arm with the plaster and importantly saying, 'Ow!'

I honestly think you just need to make nothing of it - no 'preparation' of watching videos or anything. That will make it 50 times worse. If you make it a big deal, it will be a big deal. Hide your own fears about the whole thing, be completely matter of fact and you might be as completely gobsmacked pleasantly surprised as I was.

The cream does not suit my Ds who has had a lot of blood tests over the last year (at least 5 :(). He has the cold spray which we call tickle spray, it just makes the whole area cold and then they take the blood - have never prepped days/hours before - but just before have talked about how they want to test how strong you are & will use a small straw to take some blood to see how strong you are - they spray the cold spray, DS giggles nervously - we talk about how it is giggle spray - suddenly it is all over - he is now just 5 but had lots of blood tests since he was little.

When he was 18 months we tried Elmer cream, he was more distraught at the sticky plasters/cream reminding him for an hour and then the plaster coming off we gave up and next time just did it without - health professionals often surprised he has no Elmer cream, but then happy with how calm he is for the test -
Hope that helps, you will both be fine - matter of fact & loving is the best tip I got :)