how to let a 5-years old girl agrees to draw blood?

[firm believer]

I'm new here. My 5 years old girl stats to have tics 4 months ago. After reading lots of messages here and also just read Dr. Sheila J. Roghers' book, I was so dertimned to let my girl have a thorough check. But how am I going to let her coopertated when the nurse draw the blood? She's the girl will cry and kick even for a shot. Need advices.

[deagar]

I'm new here. My 5 years old girl stats to have tics 4 months ago. After reading lots of messages here and also just read Dr. Sheila J. Roghers' book, I was so dertimned to let my girl have a thorough check. But how am I going to let her coopertated when the nurse draw the blood? She's the girl will cry and kick even for a shot. Need advices.

 

 

I also worried about my son and the blood draws because it does hurt a little. My friend who was a nurse told me about Emla cream or generic litacane cream that you put on the blood draw site about 30 minutes prior to the draw and then cover it with a special bandage.This makes the area becomes quite numb. It does require a prescription but it has taken all the fear out of my son. Good Luck!

[kim]

We also had good luck with the numbing cream, for all of the conventional allergy testing pokes.

 

My youngest son had 8 vials of blood drawn one day. I learned from another forum, that it's recommended that a child drink PLENTY of water, prior to a blood draw. No one had told me that. His arm throbbed for about an hour after that one. He's a tough guy, when he said it hurt, I beleived him. He has never complained after a 1 or 2 tube draw.

 

I was not above bribery either. At the time, a new set of Pokeman cards went along way with pain reduction.

[Ronnas]

The EMLA cream works well. Seriously...the more calm and matter of fact you are about the blood work the more your daughter will take it in stride. The whole thing takes just a couple of minutes, ask for a technician who works well and has experience with kids and in the end offer to take her to Wal Mart or wherever after and the whole time they are doing the blood work don't let her see the needle or ANYTHING...just tell her to look into your (very calm) eyes and talk about what her favorite thing is and what she wants to pick out at the store etc.

 

The key is...the more calm you are the better she will do.

[Guest]

Hi firm believer,

 

I don't have many suggestions on this as I was terrible at shots/blood draws like you describe your daughter up until I received my last tetnus type shot at about 12 yrs. of age. I now do six shots (allergy shots & methyl-b12 shots) week, but I give them all to myself. I get blood draws about every three months. I was terrified at first about give the shots so it didn't come easy, but with time and practice. I was also the child that it took four people to hold me down when I had to get eye drops for pink eye when I was little.

 

Find someone thats patient with your child and that your child feels comfortable with. I personally do all my lab draws at labcorp and none through my dan doctors or family doctor's office. I feel comfortable with the same person doing the draw each time through labcorp. Maybe your child would do better laying down while getting the blood drawn? Try to have your child not look at the blood unless this gives them comfort and they won't pass out. If I look at the blood, I pass out. However, I also hate not knowing what's going on. So I its best when the nurse talks to me and tells me if she's almost done, etc. I've passed out twice with my family doctor's office as they don't talk when they draw the blood, and I end up looking at it.

 

I agree with deagar about the numbing cream. I've never used it, but I know it's used quite often with children that have Autism which receive methyl-b12 shots two times a week or sometimes more often.

 

Carolyn

[Claire]

The numbing cream made a big difference for us. If it is not a fasting test, I would let her chew xylitol (no colors) gum during it to distract her. (Dare I say a nothing artificial sucker during the draw?) Otherwise a treat ready for immediately afterward, as someone suggested.

 

And Kim, I guess I posted on drinking water before your time. It apparently raises the blood pressure and helps with the draw, plus the recovery. Though we were drawing blood for a year when I found out.

 

Claire

[Chemar]

My son is almost 17 and still hates to have the blood draws, especially as he has rolling veins.

 

Drinking water is essential for him! When he was younger, they used the numbing creams but he doesnt want those now (tuff guy )

[firm believer]

Thank you so much for everybody. All those advices will not only help my daughter but also me too.