Fear of injections: what can help children (and parents)?
If the little prick has turned into a big drama for the first time, everyone is tense before the next vaccination. Many children develop a fear of injections, which you can at least alleviate somewhat by working with the doctor.
It doesn't take much to get into a vicious circle. One painful experience can be enough to make children's fear of the next vaccination swell further and further. I remember completely relaxed appointments and astonished goggle-eyed children who could hardly believe that that was it.
And the helpless feeling of having a screaming toddler on my lap who couldn't be distracted or calmed down by good coaxing, a colourful pinwheel or cuddly toys - and was about to receive two more injections. Once the fear is there, it often continues throughout childhood.
As a parent in such a situation, you are condemned to exude calm confidence before vaccination or other medical appointments. To offer closeness and comfort without lying to your child that they won't feel a thing during the injection. Not so easy when, like me, the smell of the disinfectant makes your pulse race and your nose go white.
A pleasant environment, less pain
This recent experimental study shows that the image you give off can influence your child. A research group led by Prof Christiane Hermann from the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of Giessen has investigated how positive and negative images affect the perception of pain in eight to thirteen-year-olds. The 42 test subjects were not injected with syringes, but instead exposed to mild heat stimuli on their forearm.
"Images of a neutral-looking mother, a smiling stranger or pleasant scenes reduced the perceived intensity of pain," according to the press release. And further: "Unpleasant images led to an intensification of pain reactions, which was particularly evident in psychophysiological values such as skin conductance or forehead muscle activity." Which category does my worried face fall into? Of course, giving a picture of a smiling stranger and staying away yourself is not an option. It is therefore advisable to prepare the situation as well as possible.
Be honest, provide distraction
In its tips for everyday practice, the Robert Koch Institute lists various points for reducing pain and stress. These include having a parent present for children under the age of 10 and playing with open cards: The specialist staff calmly explain what is about to happen and refrain from using false phrases such as: "You'll hardly feel it!" Accordingly, you really shouldn't have told your child anything of the sort in advance, otherwise the shock is pre-programmed.
Of course, sympathy and empathy also play a role - every child is different, as is every doctor. Some like it factual, others creative. Positive images can also be used in language, for example, if the treating employee chooses child-appropriate and positive formulations. "A butterfly is about to sit on your skin to clean it" has a different effect on small children than "I'm going to disinfect the puncture site now". This can have a relaxing effect before the inevitable prick.
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Why does this prick sometimes hurt more, sometimes less? "Sometimes you just have the bad luck to land near a nerve," says my trusted paediatrician. "What's more, some vaccines sting more than others, it's not always the injection site that hurts."
It's a bit of a lottery, so as a parent, it's best to hold the child by the hand that they can squeeze tightly at the crucial moment. Toddlers can be held and comforted on your lap and children up to the age of six can be distracted from the pain with toys, videos or music. For teenagers or adults, coughing or holding your breath can be helpful to trick the head a little, according to recommendations.
Pain-relieving jokers
If the anxiety is high, there is the option of using painkillers in consultation with the doctor, but these must be applied 30 to 60 minutes beforehand. ice spray, which can ensure that the area is slightly anaesthetised a few seconds before the injection, promises a quicker effect.
Neither one nor the other is the magic formula, as it only relieves the pain of the puncture, not the pain in the muscle. So the same applies here: Don't raise false hopes. If the cold spray is already perceived as a shock or the application of the plaster as the start of the "suffering phase", both can be counterproductive or at least not the hoped-for relief of the situation. Children are only likely to react positively to rewards: Rewards.
Don't forget the reward
In my childhood memories, one thought in particular carried me through the seemingly endless waiting time before injections: the thought of the small reward that I was allowed to choose afterwards. A "funny paperback", a sweet or whatever.
The prospect of a reward doesn't change the pain, but at least it links positive feelings with day X. And the last impression your child takes home often lasts longer than the little plaster.
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Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer, dad of two. Likes to be on the move, shimmies through everyday family life, juggles with several balls and occasionally drops something. A ball. Or a remark. Or both.
