Isn't there an easier way to put a cannula in a baby?

[plantsitter]

DD (10 months) had to have some IV antibiotics in hospital this weekend (). In general I think she quite enjoyed the experience of staying in hospital - odd girl - but why is it so hard to put a cannula in a baby? Hasn't anybody invented an easier way of doing it? One doctor tried 3 times (on 2 hands an a foot) before giving in and asking the paediatric surgeon to do it. Then when he did it it fell straight out while the abs were being injected. Eventually another doctor did it (quite quickly and cleanly) but the following morning as I wouldn't let them mess about with her any more that night.

They kept telling me she was screaming because she was being held down but having had a cannula put in myself when DD was born I know it hurts. And anyway surely being held down against your will is not great either!

DD is lovely and podgy and I can see it would be quite hard to find tiny veins, but surely there is a better way?

Oh gosh, sounds awful It does hurt (unsympathetic doctors!), agree she maybe was screaming from being held and also probably from fear.

I guess hold her hand/foot firmly while soothing. she will take her cue from you, and you have to be confident and firm (hard i know). I always tell mine what's gonna happen ie I'm just going to hold your hand, and look, that's the doctor. they are going to put the needle in. Shall we see what happens? Ouch! and kisses. And yes, I did this even at 10mths

Also, as someone who seems to be difficult-to-get-a-vein-from, I would recommend you explain in advance to the doctors that it can be quite tricky and ask for someone who has experience with babies.

Hope dd is feeling better.

It's not nice. Did they give you the cream to numb the area first? If she needs one again I would stand your ground and ask for the most experienced person they have. New doctors do have to learn of course - but I wouldn't let them learn on my children and I work in the NHS!

When dd was hospitalised at 7 months (dehydration from gastric flu) she had a cannula going into her head. It looked appalling but I was assured it was the easiest thing to do for a baby of that age. It certainly didn't bother her a jot in her dehydrated state...

Hope she gets better soon. It can be difficult to get cannulas in babies sometimes, podgy or skinny. Hope you weren't too traumatised by it yourself and will be strong for her if she ever needs another.

the reason it's so difficult to put a cannula in is, because babies veins are very tiny and they can reture easily, making them unusable.
Did they use emla or amnetop on the back of the hands and feet before they did it? This numbs the area and therefore she should only feel the pressure of the needle and not the prick.
Try and use distraction therapy while she's having it done, between that and the emla, you shouldn't need to pin her down.
Hope you're both ok, it can be a very traumtic experince for Mummy's.

Of course it hurts having a cannula inserted!

In my professions defense: there is no other way of doing it although having the most experienced person available to do it obviously helps. That may be a paediatric nurse rather than the junior doc who has been there for 3 days.
EMLA cream to numb the skin can make the actual job harder, also it numbs only the skin, not the wall of the vein where it actually hurts more.
I totally agree with how absolutely vital it is for whichever trusted person is with the baby/child in question to be calm and positive about the whole thing. As in: I am here, everything will be alright, but this will need to be done and it will hurt very briefly and then you can have a hug/kiss/sweetie/Nightgarden magazine, whatever works IMO.
Lastly chubby 10month olds are MUCH harder to cannulate/take blood from than skinny newborns.

Also, from the cannulators perspective: I know I always hated having to hurt babies too young to understand what was going on. 2 and 3 year olds can surprise you with their comprehension and bravery, but babies.... awful!
The last time I was confronted with babies being stuck was when premature DS2 was in SCBU for a few week, I hated every single time he had to be pricked again. He is now 5 and when I see the scars on his arms and feet my heart still hurts . He of course is not bothered in the least...

Sorry, am getting a bit rambly.

It is of course rubbish that you and your LO had an awful experience and (as so often) a lot of it sounds like it might be down to attitude/communication rather than what was actually done.

I hope that she is much better now .

Poor little mite,hope she is OK.I remember dd having venepuncture for mri and I was in bits and am usually a fairly tough cookie about such things.

Sadly it can be VERY difficult to cannulate tiny veins.or even adult veins if they have had repeat cannulation or are in types of shock or are on steroids/chemo.

Unfortunately atm there is no better way to do it.As you say a lot depends on the person doing it and unfortunately at nighttime it is usually a hardpressed junior doctor who has a gazillion and one things to do and remember.

Hopefully your little on is OK NOW.

(Thank the Lord that we live in a country where free health care is available too though)

Thanks for replies. Sounds like we'll have to chalk it up to experience then - hopefully she'll be a bit older if she ever has it done again!

I was trying v hard to be sympathetic to the junior doctor who tried 3 times to put it in and I am a real advocate for people needing to practise etc. In theory anyway... just maybe not on my DD!

DD is better now and we're free! I have to say though, that while it's great that healthcare in this country is free, it's clearly understaffed with medical professionals and needs some administrative tidying! I don't mind waiting because someone else is sicker than DD, but I do mind communication lapses causing delays, which happened loads this weekend!

Wow, sorry for all the !s.

Been there with a 3, 5 and then 8 week old baby - was shit and horrible and awful and I had a junior doctor arse it up too so you have my sympathies. Glad your dd is better now. x

I remember DD having one put in when she was about 20 hours old. They sent me off to a nearby room and put the tv on for me but I could still hear her screaming. Will never forget that night...

It needs all of the above,Plantsitter,sadly

I do agree

I am really glad your baby is better.

I wish it were a more perfect system ,i REALLY do.It is a huge unweildy beauracratic nightmare,with staffing levels woeful.Itis constant firefighting and crisis management.Believe me most who work in it are fully aware of the flaws but hopefuly the majority do try their best.It is very very sad that such things occur.I wish it could be better staffed etc.I really do.

Best wishes to dd

Glad your DD is better. x
My DD had ione fitted at birth in her hand and had to have it redone nearly everyday iot broke my heart..

My DS2 had one when in hospital for his operation for Pyloric Stenosis when he was 3weeks old.. in the part of Germany I was in at the time they do all infant cannulas in the head.. although this was disterssing for me when they first did it as I had no idea what they were doing!! He seemed fine with it once it was in and and it never came out it lasted the length of the hospital stay..