Comfort Promise

When we’re tense, our muscles tighten, which can make shots feel more uncomfortable. Learning to relax your body can greatly reduce pain and discomfort.

Try these techniques and tools to feel more relaxed and brave during injections:

• Pinwheel Breathing: Breathe in slowly and deeply, then exhale slowly by blowing on a pinwheel. This helps regulate breathing and calm your body.
• Be Loose as a Goose: Imagine your body becoming completely loose and relaxed, like a floppy goose.
• Noodle Arms: Let your arms go limp and soft, like cooked noodles.
• ShotBlocker: This small device has plastic nubs that, when pressed firmly around the injection site, can help disrupt pain signals from reaching the brain.
• Buzzy Bee: This device uses a mix of cold and vibration to interfere with pain signals, making the poke feel less intense. You can use it with or without an ice pack.
• Comfort Positioning: For younger children, secure, hugging holds can make them feel safe. Your medical assistant can help you get into position.

Distraction is a powerful tool! Keeping the mind occupied during a shot or medical procedure can significantly reduce focus on discomfort.

Here are some things children and teens can do to stay busy:

• Distractions: Anything that takes their mind off the shot can work! Try watching a video, looking at photos, listening to music, playing a game, or sharing an awesome memory or story.
• Breathing Exercises: Beyond just relaxing, focused breathing can also be a great distraction. They can try taking slow, deep breaths or blowing bubbles.
• Rewards: A small incentive can be a big motivator! Earning a sticker or a piece of candy for being brave can make a difference.

Experiment with different techniques until you find what helps your child relax and stay calm.

Our thoughts have a huge impact on how we feel and act. Negative thoughts can lead to anxiety or stress, while positive, helpful thoughts can build confidence, optimism, and resilience.

True and More Helpful Thoughts:

When your child expresses a negative thought, encourage them to challenge it by asking: “Is this really true?” or “Is there another way to look at this?” The goal is to replace negative thoughts with more helpful, realistic ones.

Here are some examples of thoughts that can help:

• “You are brave!” — Talk about brave things they’ve already done today or in the past.
• “All the kids in school (or daycare) get their pokes too. You are brave like them!” — This helps them feel like they’re not alone and are capable of handling a similar experience.
• “It makes sense that your brain is telling you this is scary, and that’s okay. You are safe, and we are here to help you!” — Validate their feelings and remind them of things they’ve done in the past that were new or scary but went well.
• “It will be over in a second.”
• “I’m brave, and I can do hard things.”
• “It feels just like a little pinch.”
• “Paper cuts hurt worse and for longer.”

The more your child practices challenging negative thoughts, the better they’ll become at it. With time and effort, they can learn to think more positively and improve their overall well-being.