4 year immunisations, argh!

[minties]

Not sute if it's a regional thing or world-wide, but I didn't realise there are 4 year ims until a letter came through for Thomas today.

He's going to go ballistic! He won't even let a nurse or doctor look in his ears, let alone jab him with a needle.

If I tell him we are going to get this done yet will get hysterical and won't go, but I don't want to lie to him and pretend we are going to the docs for another reaaon as that's a breach of his trust.

Any other kids this age on here get ims at 4 and how did they cope? My OH and I both had to hold him down just to let a nurse shine a light in his ears and eyes in November and he was screaming the entire time.

 

[Neko]

I think the boosters are done here at 5 years before they start kindergarten.

Just yesterday Avery has to get a flu shot. It's a requirement for preschool/daycare in my state and she was sick when we tried to get it last month. I told her that we were going to the doctor so they could make sure she was healthy for school. That wasn't exactly a lie, the nurse gives shots, not the doctor. She was a little nervous when the doctor examined her, but fine. The nurse came in to give her the shot and told her to look at me. This nurse was great and did it so quick Avery didn't scream or cry at all. She put a bandaid on Avery and we went home like nothing.

How many shots does he need to get? If it's more than one it might be hard for him. You only seem to get one chance to have them distracted.

 

[minties]

These are a before school type thing I guess? It is DTap-IPV and MMR. School usually starts when you are 5 here.

I think bribery might be the best way, I'll take a treat with us. Thanks so much for your reply

 

[SaraEmily]

Here they do it at 4-5, right before they start kindergarten. I remember having mine done. I had to have a shot in each arm. My mom promised me ice cream after but I still freaked out during the second shot and jerked my arm right as the nurse went to stick me and it cut across my arm, and now I'm still terrified of shots.

I would probably just try to distract him as best as you can, maybe tell him you'll go somewhere fun afterwards. Sorry, don't have any experience with 4 year olds but I guess there's not much else you can do. I wouldn't lie to him, though. Like you said, it's a breach of trust and you want him to be able to trust you next time that there really won't be any shots.

Hope it goes well!

 

[minties]

Thanks! I have let him know it needs to be done one day, but I'll leave it for a few weeks so the idea can sink in a bit. He cried and said no no no .

Kindy is where 3-5 year olds go here, funny how we use the same names for different things

 

[Natsku]

Maria has got hers coming up, I just need to make the appointment. Haven't told her yet, I don't think it'll freak her out, the thought of it, but doubt she's going to want to stay still for the jab! Think I'll take a stick of liquorice with me to placate her with.

 

[Moomette]

I took DD1 for hers a few weeks ago and they went pretty well. We'd talked about it hurting a little bit (like a pinch) when it's done, but being fine afterwards and about them being very important to keep her and others from getting sick. She was still quite wary and not keen on them on the day, but I promised her a lollipop afterwards and the nurse did them very quickly one after the other before she had too much time to panic after the first one. She also got plasters on each arm, which she quite likes. We also had DD2's 15month ones on the same visit, so I praised DD1 for being a brave big girl and showing her how they were done, and the nurse did the same, so that worked well for her too.

 

[sequeena]

Here it's at 3.5. No fun at all. Good luck x

 

[Cangaroo]

They do them at 3.5 here. DD1 had them in November along with the nasal flu vaccine. So it was nasal flu vaccine plus 2 injections. I have a friend who us a play therapist, so sought her advice as to how best to go about this. We decided to tell her about it, but not too far in advance. We started talking about it a couple if days beforehand. We talked about how they hurt for a second or two, but it gets better quickly and will stop her getting poorly. We also did lots of role play with a toy syringe. Sometimes she did the injections, sometimes we did. She seemed to have really understood, and came to the appointment with no problems. I have her the choice of whether she wanted to sit on my knee or the chair. The mistake we'd made was not making it clear there would be two injections. She was amazing for the nasal flu vaccine and the first injection, but her face fell when she realised there would be another. She let the nurse did it but cried. I think she would have been even better if we'd explained properly that there would be two injections, but she did amazingly anyway and was over it very quickly. The nurse gave her a Malteser afterwards, which helped! I had a new book for her as a treat for afterwards, but didn't promise it to her beforehand as it might have made it feel more of a big deal: "wow, mummy's promising me a treat afterwards- it must be really bad for her to do that!"

Is there a particular reason why he's so scared of doctors? Has he had a bad experience? I'd talj it all through with him and role play so there are no surprises. Give him as many choices as you can to help him feel in control: which toy do you want to bring? Do you want to sit on mummy or daddy's knee or on the chair? Which arm first? etc. Feeling in control will help him. Also ask him if he has any ideas of anything which might make it easier on him.

Good luck!

 

[KatieB]

Louis had his preschool boosters at 3.5 and we were absolutely dreading it as he normally screams at the doctors, let alone having a jab. He really surprised us and it went as well as can be expected so you never know I suppose is what I'm trying to say x

 

[OmarsMum]

Surprisingly Omar's wasn't bothered, I expected a meltdown , but he was ok, we told him that he was going to the dr for his vaccine, he asked loads of questions, he hid his face but he was ok, no crying or screaming

Good luck xx

 

[Eleanor ace]

They have them at 3 years 4 months here. Ted took it worse than expected, he was hysterical . But once it was done he was fine. I told him in the morning that he was going, my mum was here the day before and had had her flu jab and told him that it was just a scratch and she was very glad that she had it because now she wouldn't get sick; Ted was quite happy to get the injections until we arrived and then he was desperate to leave. I was the same as a child, I hated injections and always preferred it when I didn't have the anticipation of them hanging over me as that was worse than the jab itself.