3 Tips to Prepare Your Child for Their Vaccinations

As a parent, you may pick up on your child’s anxiety about their upcoming doctor visit, especially those dreaded shots. While the injections are quick and the pain is fleeting, routine vaccinations can leave a lasting impression.

Preparing your child for their vaccinations can ease their worries and make the entire process smoother for both of you.

At Stoneleigh Medical Group in Brewster, Carmel, Jefferson Valley, Pawling, and Yorktown Heights, New York, our team of primary care providers shares their top three tips to help you prepare your child for their vaccinations.

1. Talk about vaccines and what to expect

Vaccines have been a hot topic lately, and you may have questions and concerns. We provide vaccinations as preventive treatments to protect your child against contagious diseases and the serious side effects they cause.

We start vaccines during infancy and continue them through early childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. While you can’t explain vaccines to your infant, as your child gets older, you can tell them vaccines help their body stay strong and healthy by protecting them from getting sick. 

Also, be honest about what they can expect. If they’re a little more prepared for the pain, they may feel less anxious.

Let your child know they may feel a quick pinch during the injection and some soreness, but the pain goes away quickly. Tell them the vaccine may make them feel a little sick the next day, but not as bad as a cold or the flu. 

2. Practice before they go

Children feel anxiety and fear about vaccinations because they don’t know what to expect. They may have distant memories of pain, but may not remember that the pain is temporary.

Their anxiety may make the experience seem a lot worse than it is. It also makes them feel tense during the injection, which may make the injection more uncomfortable.

Go through the motions of the vaccination process with your child before their appointment. Or, have them go with you when you get your annual flu vaccine, so they can see what happens. 

3. Comfort and praise your child afterward

Despite your efforts, your child may cry and scream during their injection, and that’s okay. Every child responds to pain differently, and some may have a harder time than others.

After the shot, praise your child for their bravery and give them comfort. Let them know how courageous they were and remind them that the pain is temporary. Applying gentle pressure on the injection site can ease soreness.

Protect your child’s health with compassionate care

Is it time for your child’s wellness visit? Do they need vaccine updates? Now is the time to schedule an appointment. Our compassionate team provides all the vaccinations children need in a caring and comfortable environment. 

Call us today at the office nearest you or request an appointment online.