Tips For Helping Your Children Get Flu Shots

If you have children, you likely want to make sure that they stay as healthy as possible during the year. You don't want to worry about them missing a lot of school due to illness and having to make up the work. You also don't want them to be uncomfortable because you care about them.

One major illness that you want to avoid is the flu. The flu can knock a kid out of school for a week or more at a time, making the amount of work that he or she has to make up very high. You can help decrease the chances that your child will get the flu by making sure that he or she gets a flu shot. However, if your child is deathly afraid of needles, this preventative measure might seem like the worst thing in the world to them. Here are some tips for helping your child get through his or her flu shot and move on with his or her life.

1. Explain the Necessity of the Shot to Older Kids

If you have kids that are old enough to understand why the shot is necessary and how bad it feels to throw up or get sick, explain that you want to make sure that they stay well so that they can stay ahead in school, avoid feeling bad, and generally stay functional. If you have kids that are a little bit older than that even, you can talk about how you might have a hard time keeping your job if you have to take a week off with them because they are sick. This should help them put the idea of their shot into perspective.

2. Show How Long the Shot Is Going to Take

The shot, if you don't include the time that it takes for the nurse to wipe down your child's arm with antiseptic solution, only takes a second or two. Have your child practice doing things for a second or two, such as holding his or her breath, giving him or herself a pinch, or anything else. This will show your child how short the shot is really going to take.

3. Bring a Distraction

Let your child watch a movie on your phone or your tablet with headphones in to distract him or her. Sitting in the waiting room with nothing to distract them from thinking about needles will only make the situation worse.

4. Use Bribes

Offer to take your child to get ice cream or some other treat after the shot.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in flu shots like Jeff's Prescription Shop.