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Original poster

Feel really anxious....pre school boosters...

28 replies

Nemo2007 · 01/05/2007 20:36

DS[3.6] has his pre school boosters tommorrow. I know he is going to scream and am dreading it. The HV has kindly agreed to do them at the house when she is doing DD2s imms but I just feel really horrible about it as he is soo aware. I originally asked as DH was supposed to be off work but now has to go in on training...arghhhh

OP posts:

Posey · 01/05/2007 21:01

I was really worried about ds having his at similar age. With dd, who was completely different, I did the whole honest prep thing with her but I knew with ds he would run a mile if I told him any of it.

So, I collected him from nursery and told him we had a check up with the hv. So far so good. Got there and a nursery friend was also waiting for his, so that made the wait easier. When we were called in, I told hv I hadn't told ds what was going to happen, that I wanted to leave it to very last moment. So after he had his other "checks", ie hv just being generally nice to him and praising him for anything, we had a cuddle and I told him hv was going to give him an injection to stop him getting nasty illnesses, yes it will hurt just fo a few seconds but we'll keep cuddling while you suck this lolly, okay well done keep cuddling, injection done, ds cries (quite a bit) but gets a sticker and we join friend in the waiting room and promise them a trip to cafe when friend has had his. Its alright, bit stingy says ds.

Hope it goes okay. He 'll be fine.

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 01/05/2007 21:04

oh hope it goes like that posey. Did your Ds have to have 2 injections? HV said DS has to get 2 as think one is a new one.

OP posts:

petunia · 01/05/2007 21:10

I know how you feel, I often think it's worst for us parents than it is for our children. My DD1 had her pre-school boosters just over 3 years ago and she screamed the place down! From that moment, I dreaded the moment that DD2 would have to have hers. Then when she had hers 3 weeks ago I got DH to take her, and there wasn't a wimper from her!
With both mine, I've offered them a treat for afterwards (McDonalds for us). Is there a treat your DS would like?
Hope it goes well tomorrow.

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 01/05/2007 21:27

petunia am planning on taking him to toys r us as there is a playmobil police car he has been hankering after for a while...lol I just cant decide if I should tell him before she comes or just wait until she is doing it?

OP posts:

feetheart · 01/05/2007 21:31

DD had hers done about a month ago. She's a real wuss and I was a bit unsure how it would go.
She is also VERY aware and could talk you through the whole pg/birth thing as she came to most appointments and was upstairs when I had DS!!

I was very upfront and honest with her, told her exactly what would happen and that, yes, it would probably hurt. I went for bribery too, telling her she could choose a chocolate bar to take in with her and that she could eat it all herself - usually only ever buy one occasionally and then it has to be shared 3 ways! She sat on my lap clutching her Buttons, winced a bit when the needles went in but didn't cry then scoffed the lot quite happily.

I hope the thought is worse than the reality.

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 01/05/2007 21:36

mm think I will tell him a little bit before the hv is due to arrive. I dont want to completely shock him plus he knows people have injections as he has seen both the girls getting theirs and DD2 will be getting her 4th ones tommorow aswell.

OP posts:

Posey · 01/05/2007 21:42

Nemo - yes he has 2 injections, so hv got the practice nurse in and they did them simultaneously, one in each buttock...ouch

BTW as a former staff nurse, I know all about the rule of telling your patient the truth beforehand, how it hurts far less... But I knew I would never get ds anywhere near the surgery if I did.

MerlinsBeard · 01/05/2007 21:43

MoM looks around anxiously...pre school boosters...when should theyhave these? ds1 is 4 now and there has been no mention of these {worried}

Posey · 01/05/2007 21:44

Varies hugely when they get it. Dd was nearly 5. Maybe ring the clinic to find out when they do them just to make sure you haven't slipped through the net.

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 01/05/2007 21:47

MOM they usually do they just after 4th birthday here but I asked HV if he could have it earlier due to her coming out to DD2s as would be a lot easier for me. She said as long as he was over 3yrs4mths it wouldnt be a problem.

OP posts:

MerlinsBeard · 01/05/2007 21:50

oh, panic over then

i can't answer your op nemo sorry

hijack over!!!

fridayschild · 01/05/2007 22:05

I went for shameless bribery, got some chocs in my bag and handed them over in the waiting room. DS1 knew something was up there and then, I need to be pestered for ages before he gets chocolate. Then I told him he would have an injection, it might sting a little but the hurt would soon go away.

He was very good though, even though he needed 2 jabs (we'd moved to a place where the injections were timed differently). Refused to share his buttons with the nurse afterwards, although he pointedly offered me one.

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 02/05/2007 09:34

right have tried my best to explain it to him, his response was "thats ok but not today thank you" oh dear..lol I think I feel worse than he does but then I am expecting screaming and possibly having to pin him down

OP posts:

smugmumofboys · 02/05/2007 09:42

We bribed DS1 with sweets (huge treat in our house). Was very anxious as he had screamed the surgery down for previous injections. Told him completely honestly what was going to happen and he literally didn't even notice the injection! He asked when she was going to do it and it was already done! I needn't have bothered with the bribe!

Good luck with tomorrow.

If you're at home could you put him in front of a fave DVD to distract him? Works with DS2 and the hairdresser who comes to our house.

smugmumofboys · 02/05/2007 09:47

Good luck with today, sorry!

colditz · 02/05/2007 10:01

With ds1, we had an outbreak of measles in this town last year, so he was 3.5 when he had his. I told him he was going to Woolworths to choose some sweets, then a scratch on the arm, then he would get to eat all his sweets.

This wasn't conditional on him being brave. He gets them anyway, even if he had screamed, cried, lashed out, whatever, it's not a reward to me, it's a fact - you go for injections, you get treats.

I may be doing a bad thing, I don't know, but I felt that the anticipation of a big bag of chosen sweets that he knows are coming would stop the fear. It seemed to work, but I don't really know, because his dad took him. I have a needle phobia, so I care deeply about him not being frightened. I wanted the sweets to overshadow the jab. It seemed to work very well, he didn't even cry and his dad said his eyes never left the pic'n'mix bag!

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 02/05/2007 10:06

colditz I agree injections = treat regardless. I have told Ds he may cry/get upset but thats ok but unfortunately we all have to get injections.

OP posts:

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 02/05/2007 10:50

eekkk hv just phoned to say she will be here in around half anhour..

OP posts:

colditz · 02/05/2007 10:52

Suggest you don't talk about the injections any more with him. Talk about the treat. Treat the jab as an incidental

IdrisTheDragon · 02/05/2007 10:54

Hope it all goes all right. Am thinking of you (and DS and DD2).

Enid · 02/05/2007 10:55

feel for you

I lied to dd2 and said it wouldnt hurt

of course it did but I gave her a little toy after and she forgot pretty quickly

now she says to dd3 'dont worry about your jabs you get barbie clothes after'

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 02/05/2007 10:59

funnily enough havent even thought about DD2s she will cry she will be fine..pmsl Havent mentioned injections for a couple of hours now but he just asked when Maureen[hv] was coming..lol

OP posts:

honeybunny · 02/05/2007 12:03

I've just done these for my kids.... bit late in the day at 5 and 6.5yrs, also did dds MMR, she's 2.4yrs. None of them cried. I was totally honest about it, said it wouldnt be that nice, a bit like a sharp pinch and then over really quickly. They asked qus, yes, even my 2yr old, and they all jumped up offered their arms and then had a lolly and proclaimed how brave they all were when asked at school the next day.

As a parent the best thing you can do is smile reassuringly, act like its a normal occurence, and be honest. I said I didnt like having jabs myself but that it was over so fast I didnt mind and they seemed happy to know that this was something grownups did too.

The worst thing you can do is sneak it up on them, how would you like to be stabbed by a needle unexpectantly. And if you had someone you admire acting like a terrified wobbly mass cowering in the corner would you give up your arm happily????

Original poster

Nemo2007 · 02/05/2007 12:16

all done he was ok, didnt cry with first but did with second. DH then phoned to check he was ok and Ds reply was,yeah it hurt a little bit but now I am going to toys r us..lol Just to confirm even though I was anxious I never once showed that to ds as otherwise it would have been really unfair on him.

OP posts:

honeybunny · 02/05/2007 12:21

Glad everything went ok, well done you and well done ds!

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