Preparing children for vaccination

Anxiety can easily spread to others. If you stay calm, your child will also be more at ease.   

Prepare your child by explaining what will happen in neutral words.  For most children, explaining a day in advance is sufficient. 

Make sure your child wears a loose short-sleeved t-shirt, this is easier when vaccinating. 

• Give honest information without filling in the experience for your child. For instance, say, “the vaccination is done with a needle" but avoid saying “it will definitely hurt”.
• Check out the list of positive helping language. 
• During vaccination, let only one person speak to your child to maintain a calm and relaxed atmosphere. 

• Give your child a choice between two options that are both good, for example, “Do you want to sit on the chair or on mommy/daddy's lap?”.
• Don't give choices about things they can't decide, such as: “Do you want the vaccine today or not?”.
• You can make a plan together in advance for the vaccinations, such as sitting on mom/dad's lap and bringing the favourite toy. 

When distracted, you often feel less pain and anxiety. Focus your child's attention on something else during the vaccination. You can do this by singing, talking about the vacation, looking through a book or watching a movie on your phone. 

• ShotBlocker: a yellow plastic device placed on the skin before the injection. Its small bumps help reduce the pain of the puncture. 
• Anesthetic cream (Emla® or Rapydan®): the skin surface can be numbed with an ointment so your child feels less pain. This is available by prescription only, so discuss this with your doctor. 

Always highlight something that went well, even if the experience was challenging. This helps your child associate the vaccination with a positive outcome, building confidence for the next time.