blood tests and nervous child...

[MaryAnnSmotheredinchocolate]

Ds is 10 and this week due for hospital appointment where he will be given abdominal examination and blood test - both of which he will get in a complete state about - the blood trst is the worst thing and doesn't seem to get any easier. I have already got the emla cream and dh has been doing practice stomach examinations ! Any ideas to keep him calm,make the actual getting of blood easier ?
One year I took him and it was impossible to get any blood from him (veins not up enough) and the whole process was so distressing that I fainted,which was a bit of a shock for poor ds - think this is always in the back of our minds !
Ds is practically hysterical with fear before the blood test - it's exhausting...

can u bribe him with something he REALLY wants

nope, wont work - his fear transcends all material goodies -besides he never really wants stuff - he will be having something nice for supper ( and I shall have a very stiff drink)

was gonna suggest maybe taking a teddy and letting him 'take blood' from the teddy when its done to him, but i suppsoe he might be to old for a teddy now and to old to be distracted in this way?

probably a bit old for that now - we used to try that when he was little...last time we got him to sing a song he really liked, but it took us ages to actually get him calm enough to take the blood

aww, well good luck, hope all goes well, maybe some clever person will be along with better ideas soon

It is so distressing, isn't it?

DS1 was similar - and the cream was less than useless.
I sat on a chair, DS1 sat on my knee.
The nurse had his arm on a table, and I held a book in front of us and read to him to try and distract him.

It was horrid though, and they needed two attempts to get blood from the back of his hand. He bruised quite badly.

When he needed another blood test, I insisted it was done by a phlebotomist, and she was amazing.
In and out in no time, got the vein first time, and no bruising.

Could you perhaps work on some relaxation techniques with your DS beforehand?

THANKS loopy !

for my dd what worked was being staightforward - it will hurt a bit but will be over soon. She had seen me having blood tests so perhaps if he could see some people having the same thing he would be ok.

brussels - yes, good idea,but he is very uptight - very overactive imagination,plus he knows what to expect which in a way makes it worse. I went through all this as a child and maybe I subconsciously transfer my anxieties... I used to regularly faint/throw up afterwards...

brothelsprouts I meant !!!

Really feel for you and your DS

went thru a horrible horrible few days last year when my Ds (then 9mo) had to have a whole range of tests. It took five attempts for them to get blood (well one doctor tried four times and the last , a registrar got it first time )

By the time I got out i felt more traumatised than DS!!

A couple of ideas spring to mind.

1. Does the hospital have a play therapist, apparently there are some really good tried and tested ways to help children to feel better about tests- it might be worth ringing up prior to the exam to enquire.

1. I am a firm believer in using medication to help things along, if necessary. even children can be given anxiety reducing drugs if needed, again, ring to ask?

1. Ring up to make sure that they are aware your DS is very anxious and ask that someone experienced takes the blood. That way at least that will be over quickly.

let us know how you both get on!

cupsoftea- we do tell him it'll be over very quickly...short of giving him valium I'm at a loss (maybe I'll have the valium)

hadtherapytoo - very good advice there - last time we did see the play specialist and she was great - will ask again - can children be given a calming drug then ? I'm not keen, but might be a help ?

If it were me and I was that anxious I would opt for the valium!!

If your Ds could have his tests and remain relatively calm, even if it was due to medication, then it might break the cycle of anxiety for next time IYKWIM.

Yes children can be given anxiety reducing meds. Obviously, as in adults, doctors do not advise taking them often or for prolonged periods of time but one off doses (as long as there is nothing to contra-indicate it from your sons medical situation) wont harm him.

As a child I had quite a bad back injury and one of the drugs they gave me to (diazepam/valium) I took for several weeks, throughout the day!! It was not to make me relax but one of the side effects is that it is a great muscle relaxant.

Anyway, slightly off point but just to illustrate that I cannot see why he couldn't have something.

I always have valium before the dentist it keeps me sane!!

Can't think of many docs who would be keen on dosing a child with valium for bloods! However, a dose of medised 30 mins prior to the event will provide a bit of sedation and pain relief.

As for getting the blood out- it may be easier now that he is older and veins more easily visible/palpable. Also, getting the best person to do it is essential whether it be a paediatrician or phlebotomist who bleeds kids regularly. If you find it difficult to be there or restrain him when he has the sample taken- it may be better for both of you to be 'near' but not taking an active part in the process.

thankyou hadtherapytoo and emma - very good advice - medised noted !

Hi poor you and poor ds. My ds (4) has been treated for leukaemia since he was 2 and has had numerous blood tests/canulas etc etc. Find the best way to deal is to be completely straightforward and to talk about it in advance - so when we're due in hospital or a nurse is going to come out to the house, I will always let him know and try to discuss anxieties etc - so far as possible. Be open - so acknowledge that it will hurt, but it'll be over quickly (as already mentioned). Have to say that my ds is brilliant with all this but I can imagine the difficulties with an older child, but the play specialists are really good, so use them, also if it's something he has to have fairly regularly, why not spend some time in hospital when there's no appointment for any kind of intervention - play specialists can help - if you think it's an anxiety about hospital - also, I find bribes don't really work (much better to face up to what's going on and acknowledge that it's not very nice etc), but chocolate eases things after the event, plus have favourite books/dvds with you as distraction. Also recommend making sure you have nothing else that has to be done that day, and alcohol available for moment children in bed - it's hard and stressful for you too! good luck

thank you sallywally - and so sorry to hear that your ds has to go through such horrid things..yes, you are absolutely right as others have also said about being straightforward about it all...fortunately ds only has to do this once a year,all being well.

Don't know much about regular blood tests, but when dd wouldn't bleed I was told to give her lots to drink and a snack before the blood test, to make sure she wasn't dehydrated as this was what made her veins pack up.

Don't know how practical this would be if he's having other tests etc.

Good Luck and hope it goes as well as possible.

good point there - he will be coming from school and never drinks much liquid there, so will give him snack and driink..shouldn't affect anything else as he's only having his tummy prodded to see if his spleen or liver are enlarged