Pain Relief Techniques at Southdale Pediatrics
At Southdale Pediatrics, our entire staff is committed to working with you to give your family the best health care possible. We understand that vaccinations and blood draws can be scary and painful for all children and we would like to do our best to make these experiences easier and less painful for your child. Please find some solutions below!
Helpful Articles
Taking Fear and Pain Out of Needles—for Your Child and You – AAP
Distraction Techniques
We encourage parents to bring favorite books or toys from home for your child to enjoy. We have several distraction and pain relief tools in clinic available for use when a child needs a vaccine or a blood draw. These include Buzzy devices, shot blockers and distraction toys like: lights, pinwheels and bubblers.
Medical Options
24% Sucrose (Sweetums) for children under 12 months of age
24% sucrose is not a medicine but is another name for sugar water. When given to babies 12 months or younger it has been shown to provide pain relief. Please ask our nurses for sucrose before your child’s procedure. It works best when given 1-2 minutes before the actual needle poke. Sucrose should be given by dipping a pacifier in the solution or squirting the solution into the baby’s cheek.
Anesthetic Cream (4% Lidocaine Cream) for children over 1 month of age
4% Lidocaine cream is a numbing medicine which can be obtained by parents over the counter under brands names such as Aspercreme, LMX4, etc.
- Put cream onto the skin or vaccine site before the procedure (see diagrams below). The cream needs to be in place for at least 20-30 minutes to take effect.
- A child who is less than 22 pounds should have a dime-sized spot of cream and a child greater than 22 pounds should have a quarter-sized spot of cream.
- Cover the area with plastic wrap.
Please Note: 4% Lidocaine cream can occasionally cause temporary whitening of the skin, redness or itching of the skin.
Infant/Toddler Intramuscular or Subcutaneous Shot: Age 1-36 months
If 2 vaccines or more, both legs needed. Subcutaneous site for Varivax and MMR, if both Varivax and MMR being administered, use separate legs.
Child/Adult Intramuscular or Subcutaneous Shot: Age 3 years – adult
If 2 vaccines or more, both legs needed. Subcutaneous site for Varivax and MMR, if both Varivax and MMR being administered, use separate arms.
