[dadathome]

I am currently livid with DS9 (although we've just had a cuddle), who has just paid $70 of his pocketmoney not to have a vaccination that he watched his younger brother and i get without flinching last week. There is also a consequence involving a toy he dearly wanted. In total the nurse and I have spent alnost two hours trying to get him to work through the fear.

Anyway, he clearly has a phobia of needles. Has anyone else dealt with this type of an issue? Was professional counselling needed.

ETA. the vaccination is Hep A, but unfortunately we can't say to him "well, you can't come to Malaysia with us in a fortnight if you don't have it", as we could last time. This follow-up shot should provide decades of cover.

This post has been edited by dadathome: 22/01/2013, 01:21 PM

[lishermide]

Have you tried EMLA cream? You can buy a single dose application from the chemist. Apply an hour before the needle and the area will be numb and painless. Do a trial run allowing him to push his nail into the area to prove it really takes away the pain.

My daughter has injections every day at the moment, it's been a life saver.

[dadathome]

Have you tried EMLA cream? You can buy a single dose application from the chemist. Apply an hour before the needle and the area will be numb and painless.

He was offered EMLA today (after we went back again to the surgery), but I think was too upset to realise what was being explained to him about it. He'd decided before today's second vist that if he didn't see the needle he'd be OK, but unfortunately the nurse had it out when we walking into the consulting room.

It may be worth another try, but I was also amazed that the financial disincentive didn't work for him, nor the toy threat.

This post has been edited by dadathome: 22/01/2013, 01:26 PM

[Soprano-Cat]

I don't have a phobia, but I've had a LOT of blood test needles with tricky to find veins.

I get through them by scrunching up my eyes, face away from the needle injection site and forcibly wish myself away to a field of flowers, where I inspect them in minute details until the whole ordeal is over.

[dadathome]

I get through them by scrunching up my eyes, face away from the needle injection site and forcibly wish myself away to a field of flowers, where I inspect them in minute details until the whole ordeal is over.

Ta - I suspect he needs some professional help to find and focus on his field of flowers....

[lishermide]

I do understand your pain, my daughter was the same about the dentist. No amount of financial bribes or disincentives ever worked! The needles for us have been a matter of gradually getting used to them, now she's had so many it's barely an issue. She learnt that the fear and anticipation is way worse than the actual needle prick.

I'd recommend buying yourself some EMLA so he can trial the feel of it.

DD actually has to watch the needle go in. She can't deal with not watching.

[HerringToMarmala...]

Maybe talk to him again about vaccinations, what they do and why they're important. Could you go again and make sure the needle is out of sight when you go in? Then have him look away as they get it out. Maybe he could listen to an ipod or something to distract him.

I also had a bad needle phobia and I would have happily taken the option of paying money or losing a toy if it meant not getting the needle.

This post has been edited by HerringToMarmalade: 22/01/2013, 01:37 PM

[Soprano-Cat]

Ta - I suspect he needs some professional help to find and focus on his field of flowers....

I'm not sure if that came with a dose of snark attached...

I'm just suggesting that perhaps encouraging him to think very hard about something very detailed might at least get him through the needle experience.

I certainly didn't get any professional help - the Doctor doing the needle suggested it, and I was a child at the time.

[CallMeProtart]

I have a needle phobia. I have to not look at the needle (at any stage) and it's better if the person talks to me/distracts me when it's going in. It's not really about the pain, so the cream wouldn't help.

I have no idea how you get a child to agree to that, but it would definitely be a start getting the surgery on board and NOT having the needle out when he comes in! Probably things like arranging no waiting time so he can't get worked up, someone else there to talk to him and distract him about something, not showing the needle, etc.
Otherwise I guess you might have to consider some counselling

[dadathome]

I do understand your pain, my daughter was the same about the dentist.

Oh dog, why did you need to remind me that he has dentist appointment on Thursday

I suppose what I'm trying to think through is a process for getting past the phobia. He loves science and fully understands the value of vaccination.

A more serious distraction such as Ipod or other plan is robably a good one, maybe combined with EMLA (which he's had when much younger) once explained to him. And needle out of sight too - that was the first thing he reacted to as he walked into the room earlier.