11 ways to take the fear out of jabs for children

To mark World Immunisation Week (April 24-30), nurses and a needle phobia expert explain how to prepare youngsters for injections. By Lisa Salmon.

Tips to make needle-phobic children relax during vaccinations (Alamy/PA)

Many parents dread taking their kids for routine jabs because so many of them are terrified of needles. After all, having an injection isn’t something most adults enjoy, let alone children.

Studies suggest around two-thirds (63%) of kids have a fear of needles, which can stem from many things, including a previous bad experience, having seen somebody else being injected and not fully understanding it, or simply from picking up on others’ fear.

But the uncomfortable fact is that children will always need to have jabs – even if they’re lucky enough never to get ill and need blood tests or injections, childhood vaccinations are an important way to keep them healthy. And there can be no better time for parents to deal with their child’s needle phobia than  World Immunisation Week (April 24-30).

“Having an injection can be a frightening process for many children – let’s be honest, there aren’t many adults who relish the idea of needles either,” says Lisa Elliott, deputy director of nursing at the Royal College of Nursing. “Nurses are well used to this and can use a number of techniques to calm children down.”

And hypnotherapist and life coach Karl Rollison, author of The Needle Phobia Handbook (Amazon, £9.43), warns that needle phobia can be “contagious” if parents and friends show they’re frightened of having jabs themselves.

“Needle phobia is the number one phobia in the world,” he stresses. “Kids are learning machines and they pick up on things quickly, so even if one child in their group is terrified of needles, that can have a knock-on effect for other kids.”

Older children may be able to rationalise the benefits of having a jab, he says, but younger children can’t do that. “It’s a lot more tricky with small kids,” he explains. “There’s no hard and fast rule, but the worst thing you can do is force a child to have a jab, because that will compound their phobia as they get older. What works for one might not work for another, but making a big deal out of things is never really a good idea, because you’re adding to their anxiety.”

Here, Rollison and nursing experts give their tips on how to deal with a needle-phobic child…

1.  Ask if the jab can be given at a non-clinical setting

Nurse Lorna Foulds, from Sheffield Children’s Hospital’s 0-19 team, says jabs can sometimes be done at less clinical settings than a doctor’s surgery or hospital, which might ease children’s fear a little. “We provide vaccinations in different settings such as community centres, or sensory rooms with different lighting and sensory equipment to help children feel relaxed,” she explains.

 2.  Remain calm yourself

Children can pick up negative energy from other children and adults, explains Rollison, and this can affect them. “If you’re a parent who’s phobic about needles, you can pass that on, because phobias can be inherited,” warns Rollison. “Kids will know if you’re scared, so don’t make a big deal out of the situation, however you might feel inside.”

3. Get someone else to take themIf you’ve got a phobia about needles, then you shouldn’t be the person taking the child for a jab, because they’ll pick up on your fear, warns Rollison. “If a family or friend has a calming influence on the child, then let them take them for the injection,” he suggests. “This may be a bruise to your ego, but maybe you’re part of the problem.”

4.  Explain what will happenTalk to your child about what will happen in a simple, calm, and age-appropriate way, advises Foulds. “We try lots of different things with young people to make the experience more comfortable and help them get the care they need without being afraid of it,” she explains. “This includes talking through the process with them before going into anything, so they fully understand what’s happening and why.”

5. Make sure they’re comfortable

Let children wear their favourite clothes and hold their best toy when they go for their jab, or let them play games on a tablet/phone, or wear headphones with their favourite music playing, advises Rollison. “Maybe spray a cuddly toy with a comforting smells like your aftershave, perfume or lavender, etc, or perhaps their grandparents’ aftershave or perfume,” he suggests. “The key thing is to make them as relaxed and comfortable as possible.”

6.  Apply numbing creamThe nurse giving the jab may have some numbing cream to reduce the sensation in the child’s arm, or Rollison suggests buying some over-the-counter child-friendly numbing cream and applying it to the injection site before the jab, making sure to test a small spot beforehand in case of allergic reactions.

7.  Distract themA simple but effective way of minimising any drama linked to a jab is by taking the child’s mind off what’s happening by distracting them. “A distraction technique can be something like getting them to tap their foot while counting out loud, or tapping them on the opposite arm while you give the jab,” suggests Elliott. “Anything to keep them from focusing on the needle helps.”

8. Try briberyRollison says that with young children, the key to a drama-free jab is distraction or bribery. “You can give a small kid ice-cream, get them to look at their iPad, and just jab the needle in then without them realising,” he says. “Chances are you can disguise what’s happening – it depends on the age.

“You can bribe them by saying the jab is only going to take a couple of seconds, and if they have it, you’ll get them something nice – so you’re projecting them into the future after this little speed bump.”

9. Play the ‘pinch game’Rollison suggests that while the child is sitting down playing on their tablet, parents gently pinch the skin on their hand. “Tell them it’s a game,” he says. “Get them used to the slight sharp pain and move up their arm, and keep pinching them until you get no response. They’re now used to this slightly annoying but fairly painless ‘game’, and when they’re totally distracted, go in with the needle. Chances are they won’t even notice, especially if the area has been numbed.”

10. Get the child to sit upRollison advises parents to get children to sit up for their jab, explaining: “Lying down can trigger anxiety and make them feel vulnerable, and it’ll be harder to distract them too.”

11.  Get advice from expertsFoulds recommends parents of needle-phobic children seek advice from their child’s school nursing team or local 0–19 team. “We know one size doesn’t fit all, so work with healthcare professionals to find the best approach for each child,” she advises.