Blood draws-medication to numb the skin

[adkmom]

Everyone probably knows about this....but if your child has to have blood draw and really dislikes it (as mine did). You can get a script for the numbing med, rubs on their arm and 30 minutes later they won't feel the needle. (i've forgetten the name of the med.)

But you can't get it at the blood lab..your doc has to write the order.

 

Just fyi....

[eljay1]

Everyone probably knows about this....but if your child has to have blood draw and really dislikes it (as mine did). You can get a script for the numbing med, rubs on their arm and 30 minutes later they won't feel the needle. (i've forgetten the name of the med.)

But you can't get it at the blood lab..your doc has to write the order.

 

Just fyi....

Yes, we use this every blood draw--it works really well for my son. We use a regular lidocaine/prilocaine cream (script from our regular ped), but you can also get something called emla cream from a DAN doc--that might have to come from a compounding pharmacy. It has made our trips to the lab so much better--but what a surprise when my son had some transdermal allergy tests without the cream!! Ow!!

[philamom]

Place it on the arm and cover with small piece of saran wrap. Don't rub it in. If the blood is being drawn at the doctor's office, they may have it, or you will need a prescription for it.

[eljomom]

Ok--this is just because I am feeling punchy, but do they have numbing gel for the brain that you can give pandas kids before blood draws.....bwahahahahah! I'm sorry...for us, it just sucks to even walk in the door...

[philamom]

Ok--this is just because I am feeling punchy, but do they have numbing gel for the brain that you can give pandas kids before blood draws.....bwahahahahah! I'm sorry...for us, it just sucks to even walk in the door...

I know, I know! We've come along way to be able to use the emla cream. I use to never be able to tell my daughter in advance about her blood draws. I would have to go to the lab the day before to take care of all paperwork, schedule a time where they would take her immediately, tell her right before we left the house, and hold her down why she trembled through the entire ordeal. And that was a good day...if it was successful! I think it was not only about the anxiety of the blood draw, but also the fear of losing part of her, even if was just blood. It goes along with the hoarding. Then for months she would ask me daily if she was getting a needle today. As she got better, we were able to make an arrangement that I would tell her first thing in the morning (so I scheduled them in the am even if she had school). We still had to force her into the car though. But she was no longer asking me every day if she was scheduled for a blood test. Then one morning I pretended to be putting moisturizer on her arms, but instead used the emla cream in the one area. Then I told her she was going for a blood test and that I used a special cream to numb the area. It did really help with the pain. Then it got to the point where she was able to tolerate getting them as long as we used the cream. Last month, we were able to tell her a week in advance that she had a doctors appt. and they would have to take blood...she helped me pack the emla

 

BTW- we tried benadryl, ativan, calming drinks...nothing helped the anxiety. We did use rewards though...I think most of the webkinz she owns she received from getting blood draws and ivig.