3.5 yr old MMR Booster - how was it for you?

[herbgarden]

This will be the first vaccine that my son has where he's "aware" of it IYSWIM. Did you explain what you were doing before hand ? He's a worrier which is why I'm concerned !

Don't want to give him a needle phobia for life !
Thanks

I did explain beforehand, then fretted that I'd done the wrong thing because ds1 kept saying 'I don't want injections', 'I don't want to see the nurse', over and over again. But he was fine when it actually happened. The nurse who did it said that children who weren't warned usually got much more upset than those who were.

He was ill (high fever, off food) for 24 hours about 10 days later, just as he was with the first lot.

No problem at all. I bought a tiny packet of dolly mixtures, put them on the table in front of DS, and told him he could have 2 after each injection. He was too busy talking about those to really notice the injections.

We'd talked about the special medicine to stop you getting germs before hand, and he understood that

I was advised to tell him in advance but not make a big deal of it. So on the Thursday I just said very casually 'tomorrow we're going to go to the doctors because you need to have an injection. It will hurt a little bit but it only takes a second'. He didn't say anything much in response - I reminded him on the Friday morning 'this morning we're going to playgroup and then after lunch we're going to the doctors for your injection' - again, very casual, no big deal.

Luckily his little brother had all his jabs rrecently and I'd explained why they were important for preventing illness etc.

When it came to it he sat on his dad's knee and just when the nurse was putting the needle in I got a small Matchbox car out of my pocket and said 'Look, DS1, what Mummy's got you!'.

He cried for a nanosecond and then went off to play with his new car!

ds had pre-school injection the other day, i told him the evening before and he was not impressed. i didn't remind him in the mornign and took him in. we had to wait half an hour which didn't help. he screamed and wailed and had to be held down but it was ok afterwards. he is 4.6.

I fretted over this one and decided to tell my daughter she was going to the nurse to be weighed and measured instead. The two nurses got her to sit on my knee facing me and asked my daughter to count to 5, as they put an injection in each arm. It was really quick and my dd was absolutely fine. She was a bit grizzly for 24 hours thats all but no where near as bad as after the first mmr.

Good luck.

eeks - this isn't going to be good is it !!...I think I may need restraints/gifts and sweetie bribes !
Thanks everyone for that though. Might do gentle mentioning the night before as suggested. He watched his sister have her injections a while ago (baby sister) and was quite interested. Not sure he'll be quite so impressed when it's his turn !

My DD was fine. I told her what we were going for and she kept on about how she didn't want to see the nurse, didn't want an injection but i explained why we need them and she understood. She sat on my knee and had the MMR booster no problem. She is 3.8. We didn't get the other one at the same time, i will take her back for that in a few weeks.

dd1 had hers yesterday-I only made the appointment in the morning so there wasn't much warning

I did tell her though-she wasn't too impressed! got reassurance from a little friend of hers who'd had them the week before, which seemed to help. Also promise of a treat afterwards (chocolate buttons).

She was fine actually-trotted along there fairly happily, sat on my knee for the jabs, and didn't cry. Made more of a fuss about getting the plaster off this morning

DS had his last week. I told him before hand that it would sting, but only for a moment, and that there was a new toy car in it for him

He yelped when the first one went in, but was fine within seconds. He had a bit of a temp the same afternoon, but has been fine since.

I couldn't have got away without telling him even if I'd wanted to (which I didn't). The nurse was very thorough about explaining what she was going to do, pinching the skin on the back of his hand and telling him that was what it would be like, that it would only hurt for a second, that there were two injections and so on, and then bribing with lots of stickers afterwards.

i asked ds about this and he said do not tell children, just take them.

so amelem has right idea and i have inflicted mental torture.

Oh this is useful. DD is having her pre-school boosters on Monday. I'll make sure I've got some chocolate buttons or smarties with me.

What about a patch? That makes the injection hurt much less. You put it on one hour before.

how did it go?

ds was upset, & came out saying 'why did you let that lady hurt me mummy' he was fine thou once he had the choc button she gave him. He wasn't happy thou.

We played games with DS so his toys had medicine to stop them getting poorly. he was ok after the first injection but mildly hysterical after the second. and spent ages going on about the nasty lady hurting him. he thinks she was really mean.

I decided not to tell DD what was going to happen as she is a real worrier. But she had been with me for DD2's 3 month jabs the week before, and when we went into the consulting room she recognised the nurse. Her bottom lip wobbled, but she was very stoical about it and offered both arms voluntarily (albeit with a little sob!). I was relieved tbh - I had visions of having to hold her down. She was very proud of her plasters and went on for days about being a 'big brave girl'.

Had some mumps side effects about ten days after (neck and ear pain) which I assume was due to the jab, but nothing Calpol didn't sort out. Good luck

Ooh very timely thread

DS1 (3.5) is having his on Monday and I mentioned it to him today. I have told him that he can take his comfort blankie (which never leaves his bedroom normally) with him if he wants and that it might hurt a little bit. Have also bribed told him that Daddy will be in the waiting room with a Numberjacks (his fave atm) sticker book. Am going to keep mentioning it casually every day.

Am also taking DS2 for his 12 month jabs at the same time (not sure if this is a good idea or not ) and told DS1 that he needs to show DS2 what a big boy he is.

Will see on Monday if this works but looking at this thread, it would appear bribery is definitely the key

My DS had his (4.1) on Thursday had no side effects until today his upper arm is twice the size of his other arm bright red and very very hot on the area. He said it does not hurt at all, but has not been himself at all.

I phoned out of hours doctor - and I am not normally a worrier - as this just does not look right at all. They have said that he may need some anti-biotics especially if it moves towards his armpit.

Has anyone else experienced this?

My daughter held her packet of chocolate buttons while they were doing it. She was fine and told me the other day she is looking forward to her sister getting hers and can she watch

Have just found another thread and this seems normal!