The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides vital information about vaccination and immunizations for children and adults. Through CDC, you can learn ways to control and keep your kids calm after shots, especially during this period of COVID-19 vaccines.
Remember, it is normal for your one-year-old or little ones to express anxiety and fear before and after shots. This fear of needles is common even in adults. Most caregivers and healthcare providers are fully aware of this behavior.
So, how do you calm your young children after getting shots during the children’s hospital visit? Read on to find out more about easy and effective ways to help your little ones overcome their fear of shots.
1. Use the Available Digital Signage at the Children’s Hospital to Distract Your Child
If the pediatric hospital you visit has digital signage in the form of video walls, use them to get your kids carried away moments after the shot. Persuade your kids to pay attention to the content displayed on the digital signage to help them overcome the pain that comes with vaccination.
Make sure to keep this distraction going as long as it takes until your child feels comfortable at the injection site. Repeat this action every time you visit the children’s hospital for a vaccination appointment. Most importantly, focus mainly on your kid’s wellness and mental health throughout the doctor’s visit.
2. Take Advantage of Tylenol and other Oral Pain Medicine to Stop Fever After Vaccination
Another way to keep kids calm after shots is to give them acetaminophen or Tylenol medication. Tylenol can help reduce vaccination pain significantly. Apart from that, this medication can lessen the fever that comes shortly after immunizations.
According to a recent study, using Tylenol can prevent fever and suppress some minor side effects of some vaccines such as the Covid vaccine.
The other type of pain reliever you may give to your kid after injection is ibuprofen (Advil). Advil can help keep away side effects like soreness or fevers that occur after your kid’s vaccination.
The good news, however, all these are over-the-counter medications that you can get easily and quickly. Regardless, check the dosage and instructions labeled on each package to know the right dosage. If you are unsure about the type of medication to give your kid after injection, consult with the pediatrician on duty for more guidance.
3. Rub the Injection Site with Numbing Drugs
Pain after vaccination of your child is inevitable. Therefore, look for proper remedies that can help ease the pain and keep your child comfortable. In this case, use the numbing drugs to dampen the vaccination pain. A good example of these numbing medicines is the Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics, commonly known as EMLA cream.
Besides, you may use sprays to numb the skin around the injection site. These sprays work by creating a cooling effect that eventually reduces pain and discomfort that usually results from injections. Always ask the pediatrician if numbing creams and sprays are available to help keep your kids calm after shots.
4. Bring Along Your Kid’s Favorite Things
In order to keep kids calm after shots, bring anything that they find interesting or comforting. Come along with your child’s favorite toys, books, stickers, pacifiers, stuffed animals, or blankets.
All these things can help your child stay focused during and even after vaccination. Consult your doctor for advice on the most appropriate items you can bring along with your kids during the immunization process.
5. Cuddle or Feed Your Kid After the Shot
An efficient strategy for alleviating the pain after vaccination or immunization is holding and cuddling your children/babies on your lap. Do not leave them lying on the examination table for too long, as this can make them uncomfortable.
During the cuddling, you can breastfeed them to help overcome the pain. Alternatively, you can allow them to suck on their pacifiers dipped in a solution of sugar and water, drink from their feeding bottles, or enjoy an ice cream (for older kids). This is attributed to the fact that physical comfort, sucking, and sweet taste in your kid’s mouth can significantly reduce pain.
Babies, regardless of their age, are quickly soothed and pacified by feeding them as soon as they have been vaccinated. Doing so can make them stop crying even before they leave the examination room or a medical care facility.
Despite all these suggestions, stay calm throughout your infant’s immunization period. Don’t display any signs of anxiety, fear, or worry because your child may pick up on that behavior to become worried, anxious, and fearful.
Final Thought
Even though vaccinations and immunizations are must-have medical care for kids, the pain that comes afterward may become unbearable. Most parents, especially the new ones, have no idea how to soothe newborns during the baby shots. If you are one of them, the tips on how to keep kids calm after shots (as highlighted above) will undoubtedly guide you when taking your child for immunization.
