Immunization Day

 The day has arrived that my little man is due for his immunizations.

 

Immunizations are a hot topic amongst parents. A quick internet search and you can find such a large amount of information both for and against it that it is overwhelming!

 

As a nurse my husband has entrusted the care of our children’s health and all decisions pertaining to their health to me. As a nurse I have seen first hand some vaccine preventable diseases and read studies on others and therefore I have made the decision to vaccinate our children. No matter how informed this decision is or how much research I have done in regards to vaccines I still approach immunization day with a bit of sadness.

I hate taking my kids to the public health unit and knowingly causing them  pain (yes I know it is short lived and temporary). I feel the urge to cry just thinking about when the nurse pokes my little baby with the needle.  I try to hide my feelings of being scared for my kids from them. In one of my practicum in public health I had observed that when the pain from the needle was exaggerated and parents discussed feeling bad that “the mean nurse” was going to give the kid a “sharp needle” that the kids and the nurse were both more anxious and their pain seemed to be worse than when the actual needle and pain from it was acknowledged but not stressed about. So I try not to say anything bad about needles and immunizations and I also make sure I am the one who takes our kids, as my husband doesn‘t really like needles at all.

On immunization day I tell my little ones (even when they are very small and have no real concept of what I am saying) “it’s just a little poke and it will keep you healthy, yes it is going to hurt a bit but the pain will go away soon and then we can get back to playing“. I give lots and lots and lots of cuddles and kisses. I give pain medication and I try and distract my kids as much as possible. I know in my heart that having the immunizations will help keep my kids from experiencing some very awful and uncomfortable health conditions and so I give them this protection. But my heart still breaks when I see the needle. My 2 ½ year old who accompanies us to the appointments for her little brother is sad when she doesn’t get to have a needle too and he doesn’t even cry a bit.

 

So it would seem that this appointment is harder on Mommy than on baby. What are your experiences with immunizations? How do you help your children deal with them?