Come and tell me that taking a 2.9 year old for blood tests won't be so bad

[AmIWhatAndWhy]

I am dreading it.

i have to take DD (1.9 years) too, and they won't allow the buggy into the room so I'll have to manage her too.

He's bad enough with jabs.

Where is your lo having the tests done-normally for little ones its the hospital i think? Which is potentially better as they should have a room designated for the purpose which has lots of 'interesting' 9when my lo had bloods done they had these amazing spinning gyrating things one the walls!!) stuff, toys and if you are really lucky someone who can use distraction/play therapy techniques.

Why no buggy in the room, probably health and safety gone mad I expect.If your dd is not allowed to stay in her buggy then politely request someone look after her for you whilst ds has bloods done. You only have one pair of arms.

Make sure he gets the emla cream or the cold spray before and it shouldn't actually be 'painful' for him. Also bribery, of the visual chocolate kind works reasonably well i find!!

I think they offer cream or cold spray immediately for children. The spray has an instant numbing effect ansd the cxream takes about half an hour. There should be an extra nurse with you so you can hold a dc another can hold their arm and finally someone to take the bloods.

My DS had bloods done for allergies at 18 months, we didn't get any sort of cream or spray so don't know about that but TBH I think I was worse than DS, I had to hold him in my arms on a chair whilst they put the needle in his arm and attched the little vats, he cried when they ut the needle in but he was fine after a few seconds although I must admit I was singing twinkle twinkle to keep him amused, I mustv'e looked a phsyco lol.

You'll be fine the thought is much worse.

Emla can take up to 50 minutes to work, if you are worried ask for spray too.

I always get on scrip from GP (along with the special covers) and do 2 or more patches before I go, then no waiting around and getting rushed in before cream has worked (I have had this happen)

Ask if there is a play specialist who will help entertain.

At my local hospital they are crap, make DS sit facing me and this is no good.

At the Evelina you put them on your lap, cross your legs over their feet and cuddle them, this has always been fine - mostly not a single tear. (DS is now 4, but has been having tests done since 18 mths)

The nurses at our hospital were fad when taking DD1's blood. She had arm numbed with cream first then when it was ready, they had me sit her on my lap, the nurse held her arm out on a pillow and put a big colourful book between us and the nurse. A nursery nurse fromt eh children ward then sat in front of DD1 and waved toys around and generally distraced her so much she didn't notice what was happening. She didn't cry or anything! I had a packet of chocolate buttons in my bag in case of emergency but didn't need it. To say I was was an understatement.

Have a look at my thread from a couple of months ago. DD surprised me and did me proud.HERE

Good luck.

I've spent many days in hospital with my DD, and there were always loads of outpatients coming in just for bloodtests.

Their waiting room was basically the hospital (fantastic) playroom. They would be given some analgesic gel inside each elbow. They would wait for half an hour, during which time they would have the run of the play area. Then, the expert phlebotomist would do her work, and it was all done. Less than an hour, most of which was play.

Both dd and ds have had blood taken from the lovely ladies at our local hospital, and I expected a nightmare. But it was a dream (and I have the most dramatic children you could find), they didn't use any numbing stuff, its an environment that is hardly child friendly (there are pictures of witches on the wall FFS), but they were brilliant with them. So good, not a peep from either of them (2&3 at the time, so have faith that most people doing it do know what they are doing, and will do it nicely

DD had blood tests done at 18 months. Make sure that you get there an hour early so that they can apply the cream/gel that numbs the area - the first time no one told me and they used the spray...DD was fine but I think that the gel/cream is more effective.

You will both be fine, really!!