A shot…
June 11th, 2009
No, this is not the start of a crime scene investigation. Yesterday I took my 4-year-old daughter to the health centre for her last childhood immunisation (until she’s 9, that is).
At the breakfast table — thinking that going cold turkey would be slightly unfair at this age – I matter-of-factly mentioned that this afternoon we would go to the doctor to get her a shot (as if we were going to get her a new summer coat).
Oh. My!!
Apparently, the little 4-year-olds have been spreading the news — my daughter started sobbing uncontrollably!
Only after the promise of a huge ice cream did she calm down a bit and we went on with our usual daily affairs.
In the afternoon we went to the heath center and after some weighing, measuring, and numerous tests (I wonder if they test the parents or the kid) the doctor went to the fridge to prepare the highlight of the show: the shot.
By now I was probably even more nervous than my daughter. I frantically started to look in my handbag for the candy necklace I’d thrown in there earlier, and which of course I couldn’t find at all anymore. Not sure if it was the mess in my bag or the nerves — stupid over-sized bags! Thankfully I pulled it out just before I decided to empty the contents of the handbag on the doctor’s table!
By the time the injection was ready my daughter bravely pulled up her sleeve. Poor darling.
I’m not sure which was worse, her first shot when she was a 3 -month-old baby and completely unaware of what was happening, or this shot where she was completely aware of the situation!
The challenges of motherhood…
Ouch.
The candy necklace did help though, and so did the ice cream afterwards!
Do you have any other tips? My son will be 4 before we know it!
xxx Esther
Entry Filed under: For Ourselves, Health, Parenting
2 Comments Add your own
1. annemarieke | June 11th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Explain that it hurts, but only for 3 seconds, count to 3 for a few times to show how short that is, and ask your child to count with you once the shot is given (as this distracts them, at least in theory).
Once your daughter is 9 (at her next shot): ask her to count backwards from 10 (this time of course without saying that the shot hurts that long). The last one is a trick of my father, who gave lots of shots, to lots of small children. According to him it works. The important thing is the distraction once the shot is given, I think.
2. Emilie | June 11th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Poor little thing! My kids hate going to the doctor, let alone get shots! I reckon that ice cream was more than deserved!
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