SingleDad.com offers Parent Advice on Kids and Back to School Shots. Three tips to help you on your next doctors visit.
Back to School Immunization
| Author: RJ | Posted: 03/19/10 | ||
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Introduction (Summary)
SingleDad.com offers Parent Advice on Kids and Back to School Shots. Three tips to help you on your next doctors visit.
Necessary Things:
- Small bag of ice
- Your childs favorite treat
- A positive parent attitude
Step 1:
This article is not about causing any controversy over Immunization. This article is simply about the parenting aspects on taking our children to their “Well Baby” exams and what we can do to minimize the drama that goes on in the doctor’s office. Drama you say? Oh Yes, I am talking about the kicking, screaming type of drama that occurs the second the word “S-H-O-T” is spoken in front of your child during the exam. All parents face this problem and I am here to share my own experiences and what I have learned over the years on how to create the best possible, drama-free outcome on your next visit.
Step 2:
First of all, my three kids have the same universal feeling about doctor’s visits; they don’t like them. Add the fact that they have a negative association of shots and doctors. I am at that stage now where all three of my kids know how to spell. They are experts in the medical interpretation or associations of the words vaccine, immunization, puncture apparatus or anything else that could lead to a shot. The minute they put that information together, the “negotiations” begin. You know the type of pleading where your son or daughter will beg you for mercy and promise to be good for the following year. “Daddy, If you can talk the doctor out of giving me a shot, I will do all of my homework and keep my bedroom clean for a whole year” ... which was something I heard on my recent trip with my two daughters. It is very difficult to keep a straight face to your child when you hear the things that you have been wanting them to do all year long is now being negotiated right there at the doctor’s office!
Step 3:
These are my quick tips and advice on how to make your next visit a little easier when it comes to Back to School Immunization. First, before you go to the appointment, explain the facts. Most schools require a standard vaccine schedule and all children must have them. Tell your son or daughter that there are no exceptions to this rule and they cannot go to school without a immunization card. Second, tell them your plan to ease the “discomfort” of the shot. Pack a bag of ice and show your child how you plan to “cool off” their skin area of the shot to minimize the feeling for them. Icing down the skin will give it a little numbness to the skin during the process. I found that this is the best way to “divert” the attention of when the shot actually occurs. Finally, pack a little treat for your child for the “post shot” parent sympathy treatment. This year’s immunization was over as quickly as possible and I hope my tips will help you on your next visit to the doctor’s office.
Tips and Tricks:
- Explain to your doctor that you plan on icing the shot area down so you have time to numb the area.
- If all else fails, be preapred to offer a "Bear Hug" to keep your child still for the shot.
