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Fear of Blood Draws - Help! Expand / Collapse
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CritterHill
Posted Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:53 AM


 

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With all the parents on here, surely someone must have a brilliant idea.

My 5 year old is terrified of blood draws. Like, pull her out from under the table screaming terrified.

She is on MTX, so we take her every 3 months to get blood draws done. This has been going on for the better part of 2 years and she is still terrified.

We have gone to 4 different places to find one with a phlebotomist she likes. I bring treats for the draw, I take her for ice cream afterwards, I have her look away when they do it, I have had her watch when they do it. Doesn't matter, as soon as she hears blood draw, she freaks (screams the entire car ride).

Actually having her watch the stick oddly was better than trying to keep her from looking away. But not by much.

I'm just about to offer her a new puppy every time we get this done!

What else can I try to get her to stop freaking out over them?

Yes, tomorrow is blood draw day. I suspect I won't be sleeping much tonight - I'M starting to dread them!
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Sonya459
Posted Tuesday, November 11, 2008 2:37 PM


 

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Have you tried an Emla cream (lidocaine)?  If not get on the phone right now and call your doctor! 

Basically you put it on about an hour before you have her blood drawn, it numbs the skin and she can't feel the poke.  It was one of the first perscriptions we got and I am thankful to this day that my daughter has it.  She has no fear of giving blood. There was just one time that she groaned and that was because they kept poking around trying to find a vein. 

Hope this works for your little one. 

Sonya
Mom to Cassie, 4, poly

Post #4169479
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CritterHill
Posted Wednesday, November 12, 2008 9:00 PM


 

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Emla, thanks, I'll look into that. I may even have a sample of it in the cabinet somewhere. I think they gave it to me back when they thought we may have to start Enbrel.

I'm wondering if the stress of thinking about the draw for an hour with the stuff on will be worse than the actual draw though? I don't think it can get much worse, so I'll give it a whirl.

The draw got put off due to a snafu in the lab paperwork, so we haven't gotten it done yet this week.
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Mimi's Mom
Posted Friday, November 14, 2008 12:38 AM


 

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My daughter hated blood draws, but then amazingly became used to them with a little whimper each time UNTIL one woman couldn't find a vein and dug the needle around in her arm!!! I was so mad.  After that, she screams and finds every excuse (going to the bathroom is used most often) not to have it done.  We haven't tried the Emla yet except during her cortisone injections. She didn't like it and said she didn't want to use it again, even though we've tried to explain it will reduce the pain.  My daughter prefers to watch.  She seems to do better if she's "in control" and has some say in the process (e.g. picks out the vial colors, picks out the bandaid or wrap style, chooses which arm, etc.). 

I wish there was an easier way!!

susan

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Mom and Son
Posted Wednesday, November 19, 2008 6:54 PM


 

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My son had the same experience with his blood draw.  They stuck him, all was good, and then they let it slide out before they were done so they had to stick him again.  He is on MTX and Meloxicam.  When we go to our Children's Hospital they only have to ##### his finger, like in diabetes, to get enough blood for a kidney function test and Complete Blood Count. They just fill a little plastic box which catches the drips from his finger.  Ask.  It's worth a try.  Good luck  
Post #4171191
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CritterHill
Posted Saturday, November 22, 2008 2:33 PM


 

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Thanks for all the replies. We went and had it done. And though she did scream the whole time the draw was happening, she didn't start until the phlebotomist walked in the room (as opposed to the car ride there) and she stopped as soon as she was done. So she seems to be getting better.

We ended up going to the store and buying the pretty pony amusement park afterwards out of sheer motherhood guilt that I have to put her through this - usually it is just ice cream. I swear it's going to be a new puppy every time if one of us doesn't get over it soon.

Anyway, we also had our Rheum appt and since she is still in remission (yay! *crosses fingers*), he wants to try taking her off mtx in April - that will be her 2 years in remission date.

Deep breath. Let it out. Wish us luck.
Post #4171815
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Amy Jones
Posted Monday, November 24, 2008 1:53 AM


 

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Congrats on the remission and the semi-successful blood draw. I know that my daughter too hates the draw. We have tried many different places to do the draw and now we have to go monthly due to her mtx and we drive the hour to the Children's Hospital just for the stickers that they give out after the blood draw. I figure that her screaming there is better because at least I know that they are trained with kids and use the smallest needles versus the other hospitals and clinics that we have gone to where it sounded like they were taking her arm off by the way that she screamed. We go in tomorrow and I am prepared for the mom guilt and a stop for ice cream when we are done.
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Tracy1
Posted Saturday, December 06, 2008 12:20 AM


 

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oh yeah. blood draws ('blood shots' as she calls them) are far and away the worst part of this whole thing around here.

The first few times she had to get her labs done, we did it at her hospital (Scottish Rite in Dallas). We would have to sit in the waiting room for a few minutes before it was her turn. I was amazed to see these kids just plop down and stick out their arms and let the lab workers do what they needed to do. I saw one kid do it while the parent was in the other room not even looking! So I was totally mortified when Cassie screamed bloody murder, had to be held down on my lap, and we needed 2 other people to help hold her still.

And this is what each lab visit looked like for about a year. 2 draws back, she got Ms. Sheila. Ms. Sheila took one look at Cassie starting to flip out and looked her right in the eye and very calmly but firmly laid down the law with Cassie. I was really upset about it and ready to defend my scared little girl. But ya know what? It worked. Cassie was still upset but she focused on her breathing and cooperated. She did cry at the end, but it was progress! And Ms. Sheila made such a big deal out of her being brave and strong and oodles of stickers. Then, her last draw was at the local lab here in town and I was expecting big drama again. But she did OK!

And we still let her get ice cream or eat out after if she wants. You bet!!

Tracy,
Cassie's mom. 5 1/2 JPsA
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Wanda Vanhorn
Posted Thursday, January 08, 2009 1:55 PM


 

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Emla cream or Lidocaine/Prilocaine cream they both numb the area where the blood will be drawn. They both work with shots too. You will need a prescription for either of these. Kenzie's peds. rhuem. gives her a prescription for it.

It works wonderfully!!!! You have to put it on the injection site a 1/2 to an hour before blood draws or shots. We even used it on the other 2 girls when they got their flu shots.

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Kaysi
Posted Wednesday, January 28, 2009 1:26 PM


 

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Nothing helped us when we had to have labs done. Emla cream helped alittle-but she would stress out for the 45 minutes you had to leave it on. Thankfully, we no longer have to have labs done-but we still have problems w/the weekly Enbrel injection. My daughter is 5 1/2 and still freaks out. Sometimes she'll cry to the point that she hyperventalates. I have to physically restrain her, why my husband gives her the shot. I don't think it will ever get easier. Any suggestions would be wonderful! We've tried just about everything!
Post #4182029
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CritterHill
Posted Wednesday, January 28, 2009 2:38 PM


 

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Well, I don't know if it would work with Enbrel because I have heard that that injection is particularly painful, BUT for our weekly MTX injection we do it a half hour after she falls asleep. She doesn't even wake up and on the very occasional time she does wake up, she doesn't remember.

She knows we do it while she is asleep and has asked us to continue doing it that way.

Again, dunno if it would work with Enbrel, but does work for us with MTX. Good luck.

Someone told me that a distraction like giving them a lolly pop to suck on just before the injection really helps with their perceived pain level. My kid wants nothing to do with candy when it is time for draws, so that doesn't help me at all, but it may be useful to you?
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Worried Mom
Posted Sunday, September 13, 2009 1:37 AM


 

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I am on this board because I suspect my son may have Systemic arthritis and I am looking for information on early symptoms ... and I saw this posting ... you may want to try Buzzy to relieve the needle pain. It uses cold and vibration and you use right before needle insertion and during - Good Luck!

 

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MoK
Posted Sunday, September 13, 2009 9:37 PM


 

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Hi. I feel your pain. Well, actually, my child feels your child's pain. ;-)

My son used to completely freak out about blood draws. He would just start screaming as soon as he realized it was going to happen. Had nothing to do with pain. EMLA did nothing but prolong the anticipation and make it all last longer. But, as he has gotten older, it has gotten much, much better, so hang in there. Now he gets nervous, but no more screaming. And he is so proud of himself afterwards. Kids are amazingly adaptive.

What helped us was a firstly a good phlebotomist - one trained on children, and one who would just do it as quick as possible. I sat and held my son, they took the blood FAST. No long discussions, no excessive coddling - that just used to make him more anxious. I would give my son as little warning as possible, but i did tell him what was going to happen.

He got a small toy afterwards - just whatever the nurse had - sticker or small plastic thing. For us, the bigger toys just reinforced that this was a huge terrible thing. The small toy signaled that this was just routine - uncomfortable and scary, but a normal part of the whole jra thing that all kids went through.

I really think that the parent's attitude helps. You know it will pinch, but that it is necessary. Your child doesn't know that unless you tell them. I used to say over and over, especially on days when we weren't having the blood draw (no anticipation, no stress, better listening) that it pinched, but it was important, that I knew he was brave even tho he was screaming, and that as he got older and did it more, he would be able to stop screaming and show everyone how brave he was, that it was hard, but important. Months and months of this really did help. I made huge deals of any tiny improvement. He still gets anxious, but can sit still and quiet, and is so happy and proud when he's finished. Inside, of course, I was/am aching for him and wishing my little boy didn't have to do this.

My pediatric nurse friends say that sucking a lollipop helps with distraction and pain, but it never worked for us because my son was screaming too much to suck on a lollipop. Another thing we tried that helped a little was bubbles. Either your child or you can blow bubbles during the blood draw - again, distraction and breathing out helps with pain. My son doesn't like to watch the needle go in, but he does watch the vials fill and counts them down until he's done - probably helps with the "control" thing.

Anyway, I know this was a long post, and I know you've gotten lots of advice. Read it all, try some of it, and see what works for you and your child. Remember that as kids get older, they really are able to handle things better. We saw a big change right around 5 1/2 or 6 years old. And I think that even tho this is seared into our brains, our children will probably not remember it in 5 years. Good luck!
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Meredith Zietlow
Posted Tuesday, September 29, 2009 12:16 AM


 

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Thanks MoK for the ideas. I am relieved that my child is not the only one who screams bloody murder and literally gets out of the car before I can start it when he knows we are on the way to get a "shot."

I agree that the numbing cream just sets the anticipation and stress level too high so we have only used it once. I am nervous though with flu season. I decided that his panic is not a good reason to not get the flu shots so we are going to do it. He did watch me get a tetnus shot today and I think I need to try and talk to him on those days when we aren't going to see a needle about how brave he can be and how important this is.

Thanks for all the comments and ideas. I also like the one about not getting a big gift, etc-I'm guilty of giving in to that much guilt, but I know it's not right. I think ice cream is still okay, though!!
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MoK
Posted Tuesday, September 29, 2009 6:36 PM


 

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Ice cream is perfect!!! ;-)
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CatP
Posted Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:40 PM


 

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I don't know if this will be of any help to anyone, but just in case I will post here why I think we haven't had any issues with blood draws so far with my daughter.

For starters my daughter is now only 3 years old, so young age at first blood draw may have helped.  Also, I have never once let her look to see what the phlebotomist is doing.  She thinks it is just part of the procedure to cover her eyes.  In addition since her diagnosis we always use Emla cream, so she usually doesn't even feel it.  One more important aspect of lessening the blood draw fear was that we have never made a big deal of it.  She has seen us come home with bandaids on our arms from blood draws and we explained to her that we had our blood tested.  I'm pregnant and my husband has health issues so we have both had to have our blood drawn a few times recently.  Oh, and I don't know if this has helped also, but we let her pretend to do blood draws on us.  She now even has a play medical kit that she uses on us to imitate what is done to her at her doctor appointments.   

I hope this helps someone.

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Wanda Vanhorn
Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009 10:49 PM


 

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Kaysi (1/28/2009)
Nothing helped us when we had to have labs done. Emla cream helped alittle-but she would stress out for the 45 minutes you had to leave it on. Thankfully, we no longer have to have labs done-but we still have problems w/the weekly Enbrel injection. My daughter is 5 1/2 and still freaks out. Sometimes she'll cry to the point that she hyperventalates. I have to physically restrain her, why my husband gives her the shot. I don't think it will ever get easier. Any suggestions would be wonderful! We've tried just about everything!


I think I would use the Emla and maybe a distraction. Also maybe letting her give a dolly a shot and a band aid.
Is there a way to let her be envolved in the shot giving. Like maybe getting things ready, taking the med out of fridge, getting her own band aid, anything she can do. Just wonder if she was helping and had practiced on a doll it might make it a bit less scary. I do know that my 8 yr can not feel her injection at all with the help of her Magic lotion aka Emla.
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