Fasting blood test 4yo

[Oneandanotheroneistwo]

My 4yo is having a fasting blood test next week, she's never had one before but is usually pretty good when having injections etc.

Does anyone have any tips for letting her know what to expect and helping her through it? I'm generally fine when having them done (apart from disappearing veins) so hopefully won't project any nervousness onto her.

I'm taking a croissant which is one of her favourite breakfasts (and rarely allowed!) for her to eat on the way home and will cook her favourite dinner (toad in the hole) in the evening.

Not quite what you asked but is she allowed water beforehand? Making sure she’s hydrated will help the viens be visible.

I would just not make a big deal out of it. She will pick up on your feelings about it. Be very breezy and don’t try to over explain. Yes, to lots of water.

Yes to confident and casual about it in the lead up. On the flip side, if they take a look and think her veins are tricky, I would push for numbing cream. The spray is fine if it's relatively straightforward, but it's not really up to it if things get tricky.

Keep her all wrapped up nice and warm. They did give my daughter some of the numbing cream an hour before but then put a clear plaster on over it and it was worse taking one of the the plasters off than actually taking the blood. So if they do this I would make sure they use alot of the numbing cream so it makes the plaster slide off. My daughter was crying with the pain of this plaster as it practically waxed an already delicate area at the upper inside of her arm. She didn't flinch next time as I had to do to numbing cream myself and I used loads to ensure this didn't happen again.

Thanks all - numbing cream has already been picked up from the pharmacy so will put that on before we go (appointment is 8:30 and they don't open early enough to put it on).

@SleafordSodsshe can have water so will encourage her to drink. And will keep her warm, my veins are notoriously hard to find so know all the tricks 😆

Calm and breezy it is.

Ok, this is a weird question but.... do they give stickers? DD was given one buggy the dr yesterday (and always gets them at the dentist and from the nurse for her jabs)... so helpful to know if she's likely to get one or if i should take one 😆

Bit late at that point, put the numbing cream on beforehand anyway. 30 mins before.

@Ladybugheartthanks - I've got the cream and will put it on regardless before we leave into both hands and inside of both elbows.

Think it depends but if you think a sticker is important you can always take one

Thanks @SleafordSods- I think a sticker would be nice for her (obviously it's not the most important thing) but she associates medical stuff with stickers so would like one for being brave afterwards so I'll take one. She was VERY excited to show her dad a sticker she'd got at school the other day that read 'I've bumped my head' 😆 (the school use them so that all the teachers can easily monitor a child whose bumped their head in case of signs of concussion) - he came down very confused to check I knew about it (the teacher had told me at pick up so it was all good)