DS age 4 has his jabs in an hour <quiver> DH took DD. Do you think I should warn him in advance or just turn up ?

[MamaG]

If I warn him, he'll be scared won't he

I think introducing the idea as 'first we are going to the clinic to give you a little jab then we are going to do this, this and this', all said quite quickly without dwelling on the jab is a fair way to do it. That way he isnt awfully shocked by the turn of events but hopefully won't dwell on it.
Hope it goes well!

Good idea, I'll do that, thank you

I went with the whole "little scratch" and then went into a big explanation about vaccines and armies in the body which seemed to distract her.

Then the nurse didn't let me turn her head, saw her coming at her with a needle for the second jab and refuses to go back , so - turn head IMMEDIATELY if you're having 2

DS has his doen last week - he is a wuss sensitive child, so I was slightly nervous he'd freak out! It was FINE!

My approach was:

a) told him that morning - stressed that it might hurt a bit, but that the pain would go away straight away
b) reminded him of watching his little sister having injections (she cried, but stopped straight away)
c) explained what the injections were for/what they did in rather exciting terms...(So when the nurse asked if he wanted some special medicine, he said 'No, i want an injection with antibodies to fight the bad germs - they stick onto them & rip them apart!')
d) had a bag of buttons in my bag
e) explained that I liked injections (I do, honest)

He took it all in his stride - although slight tears in eyes. The nurse was brilliant - had him choosing stickers whilst she was injecting him, & had her OWN stash of buttons (free chocolate on the NHS, anyone??)

Good luck!

Dd1 had hers the other week. Told her in advance. She was absolutely fine. Barely noticed. Had choc too.

Afterwards was much worse! Her left arm was very sore and was bright red from shoulder to elbow for a few days. Think she had the one with tetanus in her left arm. Other arm was fine.

My policy has always been, tell in advance but not TOO FAR in advance so they don't have time to get wound up about it.

Speaking from my personal experience, 30 seconds is plenty of warning, not long enough to get worked up about it but enough time to discuss the "reward scale" for putting up with "a bit of a sting". Chocolate buttons were invented for just this sort of life experience.

Do ensure that you have the buttons with you and if necessary pop one in when he opens his mouth to start crying.

He screamed the surgery down

but was mollified wtih a new toy!

oh dear - you poor thing!
Still its done now!
My dd was fine until they told her to bend over my knees. They wanted to do them in her bum cheeks. She thought they'd be in her arms. She panicked and hid under a chair, gripping the legs with a vice like grip and had to be peeled out