How to Reduce the Pain of Shots for Children

There are several things you can do as a parent to help reduce the pain your child will potentially feel when receiving vaccinations. By preparing your child beforehand, following steps to reduce pain during the injection, and easing the pain after it’s over, you can ease your child’s fears and make the vaccination process go smoothly.

Method 1 - Preparing Your Child Beforehand

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→ Do doctor's office role play with toys. Telling your child about the injection in advance may cause them to feel worried or apprehensive. However, you can introduce your child to the idea of shots by engaging in some doctor's office role play with a toy. This will provide some familiarity for your child without frightening them.

→ For example, you could pretend that a stuffed animal is coming for a checkup and say something like, "Okay Mr. Hippopotamus, time for your vaccination to keep you healthy. It will just take a second." Then, use an object like a capped pen or crayon to mimic the motion of giving a shot on the stuffed animal.

→ When you take your child for their appointment, then you can remind them of the game you played and how Mr. Hippopotamus got a vaccination.

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→ Learn about vaccinations together. It may help to educate your child about the importance of shots. Find a book that explains the vaccination process in a friendly way, such as the picture book “Lion’s Aren’t Scared of Shots.” The key is to not over-prepare them, as this could make the trip appear a bigger deal than it is.

→ Depending on your child’s age, you may want to teach them how the immunization process works. Say this to your child: “Shots protect you by giving you a very tiny, dead piece of the germ. This germ is so small that it can’t hurt you. Instead, your body responds by making antibodies. Your body now knows how to fight this germ whenever it encounters it!"

→ If your child is very young, the less information may be best. You may also want to use gentler language. Say this to your child: “You will get a tiny poke, but it will make your body super strong!”

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→ Ask your child if they’d like to invite a friend. Depending on your child’s age, they may wish to bring a friend for moral support. Call the child’s parents and confirm the date ahead of time. Your child may feel better about the upcoming vaccination if they can mentally plan on their friend being there, too.

Method 2 - Reducing Pain During the Injection

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→ Make sure your child is in a comfortable position, such as in your lap. Excessive restraint may increase your child’s distress, so hold and support them as gently as possible. Whichever position your child chooses, make sure they are not vaccinated while lying down, which makes children more anxious.

→ Older children may choose to sit on the examination table. Help minimize the risk of accidental falls by standing against the examination table to provide support.

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→ Breastfeed your infant. If you’re a breastfeeding mother, consider nursing during the vaccination. Babies breastfed during their vaccination maintain a steadier heart rate. They also cry less, compared to those swaddled or given a pacifier.

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→ Dip your child’s pacifier in sugar. Reduce pain for non-breastfed infants with a sweet-tasting solution. Create a sucrose solution by missing one packet or cube of sugar with 10 ml (two teaspoons) of water in a medicine cup. You can also obtain sucrose solutions from some pharmacies. Using a syringe, place the dose in the infant’s mouth. You can also use a medicine cup or pacifier dipped in the solution. The analgesic (pain-reducing) effect of sucrose will may last up to 10 minutes.

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→ Stroke the skin. You can reduce pain at the time of injection by offering to rub or stroke the skin near the injection site. Use moderate intensity before the vaccination takes place.

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→ Distract your child. Distractions can soothe the child, and take his or her mind off the shots. Talk to them, tell them a joke, or give them a favorite toy to play with. Other ideas include squeezing their hand, making funny faces, telling a story, playing I Spy, or simply singing their favorite song.

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→ Teach your child breathing exercises. Slow, deep breathing works well as a relaxation strategy. If paired with an activity such as blowing bubbles, it can also serve as a distraction for focusing your young one’s attention away. Pain is reduced if the child uses breathing exercises. Try these steps when teaching your child how it's done:

→ Start by having your child breathe normally. Ask them if they feel which parts of their body move when they breathe.

→ Have them rest their hand on the belly.

→ Ask them to hold the air in for four seconds.

→ Have them slowly blow all the air out until it’s gone.

→ Have them repeat until they appear relaxed.

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→ Cough it out. Coughing once before and once during routine vaccinations helps reduce painful reactions for children during vaccinations. Have your child practice while waiting for the nurse. Model the behavior for them so they understand how it’s done.

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→ Use a skin-numbing product. There are a variety of skin-numbing products on the market that may reduce immunization pain in children, such as a EMLA, which you will need a prescription from your doctor for. Also, consider trying a vapocoolant spray, which rapidly cools the area to help reduce the pain of the needle prick. Pain is significantly lower for children who used these products compared to those who don’t. Plan on applying the cream an hour before the vaccination.

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→ Give the more painful vaccination last. If your child is receiving more than one vaccination, ask the nurse to administer the more painful vaccination second. Giving the more painful vaccine last decreases the overall pain from both injections.

→ Vaccines known to be more painful are M-M-R-II and Prevnar. These should be given last when coupled with other vaccines.

Method 3 - Easing Pain After the Injections

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→ Hug your child and tell them you love them. Sometimes the simple act of showing that you are there can help comfort your child. Say, “you did a great job, I’m so proud of you!” They will feel a sense of pride for their accomplishment.

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→ Give them a special treat. Pack a few special treats in your bag or purse such as your child’s favorite candy bar or snack. You may also want to pack a favorite drink. Another option is to offer to take your child out for ice cream or another special treat on the way home.

→ If your child doesn’t like sweets or if you don’t want to overload them with sugar, consider taking them to do a fun activity instead. This could be anything from stopping at the playground, playing a favorite game together at home, or renting a movie to watch at home.