Medical science has advanced rapidly but it seems so did the viruses and other infectious diseases. Young kids because of their underdeveloped immune systems are often easy prey for these diseases. So, to ward them off and keep the baby healthy, a regular vaccination process is very crucial. Pediatricians provide a vaccination chart of the kids to make sure they are not left vulnerable to any disease which may in turn be harmful to others around the baby. As much as the vaccinations are important, the syringe phobia is also very common in kids and the whole experience of getting shots becomes rather stressful for kids as well as the parents. However, the importance of vaccination vastly outweighs the slight discomfort they cause. You can always look for pediatricians near me in Queens for more guidance. Here we have compiled some ways to help you in soothing your child after shots.
Feed the Baby
As the baby becomes restless after shots, feed him something. This will likely divert the attention of the baby, making him forget the pain. If possible, breastfeeding the baby is more helpful since it provides skin-to-skin contact with the added pleasure of sucking and makes the baby calm immediately.
Distract the Baby
Babies focus on one thing at a time. By distracting them, they can be made to forget the whole experience of getting shots. When going for vaccination, take some favorite toys of the baby with you and engage him in them as soon as the process starts. This will likely help in keeping him calm.
Use Cool Packs
A Baby’s skin is sensitive and may get easily sore or swell. Having cool packs handy enables you to apply them at the injection area to reduce soreness. A sudden cooling feeling will also help in calming the baby’s nerves.
Use Numbing Creams
For some babies, the pain of injection is too much to bear. In such cases, the pediatricians can recommend numbing creams to be applied at the area of injection before injecting. This will ease down the whole process and the baby won’t feel a thing.
Ask for Combo Shots
Babies are often vaccinated for multiple diseases simultaneously. So, instead of using a single shot for each disease, ask if vaccination for different diseases can be combined in a single shot. The pediatrician will need to thoroughly check on this. However, this will be a great relief for the kid as he will now have to go through this only once.
Pain Relief Medication
In case the baby cries a lot after the vaccination due to pain, consult your pediatrician. He will most likely recommend some pain relief medication. But never use any medication without the doctor’s approval.
Be Friendly with the Kid
Some parents get irritated with the kids crying and resort to pressurizing or threats of punishment. This goes for slightly bigger kids too. This is a very harmful approach. The kid needs emotional support in such times. A little hug, small favors, promise of a drive to the ice cream parlor can work wonders in soothing the kid.
If you are in Queens NY, then we would recommend the following pediatrician.
Healthy Kids Pediatrics
Fresh Meadows 69-27 164th street Fresh Meadows, NY 11365
Phone: (718) 261-3222
Website: https://www.healthykidsqueens.com/
