| Needle pokes: Reducing pain in infants aged up to 18 months | 989.000000000000 | Needle pokes: Reducing pain in infants aged up to 18 months | Needle pokes: Reducing pain in infants aged up to 18 months | N | English | Pain/Anaesthesia | Newborn (0-28 days);Baby (1-12 months);Toddler (13-24 months) | Body | Nervous system | Non-drug treatment | Caregivers
Adult (19+) | Pain | | 2018-12-18T05:00:00Z | | | | | | 7.80000000000000 | 67.1000000000000 | 661.000000000000 | | Health (A-Z) - Procedure | Health A-Z | <p>Find out how to reduce the pain of needle pokes for your baby.<br></p> | <p>Your infant might need a needle poke to receive a vaccine, have blood work or receive fluids intravenously (through an IV) during a hospital visit. All these procedures are important for protecting or treating your child, but they can cause pain. This can be stressful both for children and parents. </p><p>You can use a number of methods to help reduce the pain and anxiety associated with needle pokes. These include numbing cream, distractions, sucrose, breastfeeding and comfort positions.<br></p> | | <h2>Key points</h2><ul><li>Needle pokes can be painful, which can cause stress both for babies and parents.</li><li>Before a needle poke, you can help reduce your baby’s pain and anxiety by using a numbing cream, distracting your baby, and/or using sucrose or breastfeeding.</li><li>During a needle poke, you can calmly hold your baby and/or breastfeed them.<br></li></ul><br> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <h2>During the needle poke</h2><h3>Hold your infant</h3><p><a href="/Article?contentid=3629&language=English">Holding your infant</a> helps comfort them and keep them still during the needle poke.</p><h3>Breastfeed your infant</h3><p><a href="/Article?contentid=3628&language=English">Breastfeeding</a> before, during and after a needle poke is another option to reduce pain. It distracts your baby, allows you to hold them and provides a sweet taste, all of which soothe your baby. If you do not breastfeed, you can still comfort your baby with bottle feeding or sucrose.</p><h3>Stay calm</h3><p>If you are anxious before and during your baby’s needle poke, your baby might also feel more anxious. Even though you may be nervous about the procedure, try your best to remain calm. Use your usual speaking voice and take slow, deep breaths.</p><p>For more detailed information on these suggestions, especially for vaccinations, please download the fact sheet <a href="https://immunize.ca/sites/default/files/Resource%20and%20Product%20Uploads%20%28PDFs%29/Products%20and%20Resources/Pain%20Management/Parents/painreduction_under3_web_e.pdf" target="_blank">
<em>Reduce the pain of vaccination in children under 3 years</em></a> from Immunize Canada.<br></p> | | | <h2>Planning ahead</h2><p>Discuss your plan for pain reduction with your health-care team so they can support you.</p><h2>Before the needle poke</h2><h3>Numbing cream<br></h3><p>You can help reduce the pain of needle pokes by applying a topical anaesthetic (<a href="/Article?contentid=3627&language=English">numbing cream</a> or gel) to the area where the needle will be inserted. In Canada, numbing creams are available over the counter.</p><ul><li>Discuss this option with your infant’s healthcare team in advance.</li><li>Make sure your infant is not allergic to any ingredients in the numbing cream or gel.</li><li>Apply the numbing cream or gel 30 to 60 minutes before the needle poke. Once it is applied, the cream lasts up to three hours.</li></ul><h3>Distracting your infant</h3><p>Use items such as toys, pacifiers or bubbles to help
<a href="/Article?contentid=3629&language=English">distract your infant</a> during needle pokes. You can also sing, talk or direct your infant’s attention to other things in the room so they are not focused on the procedure and pain.</p><p>Your healthcare team can also offer you items from a
<a href="/Article?contentid=1258&language=English">comfort kit</a> to help distract your child. Ask your healthcare provider about the kit before your appointment.</p><h3>Sucrose</h3><p>A small amount of
<a href="/Article?contentid=3628&language=English">sucrose solution</a> (sugar water) one to two minutes before a needle poke has been shown to reduce pain in infants.</p><ul><li>To make your own sucrose solution, mix one packet of sugar with two teaspoons of water.</li><li>Ask your healthcare provider to give the sucrose. If the healthcare provider asks you to give it, use a syringe or dropper to place it one drop at a time onto the front of your baby's tongue. You can also dip your infant's pacifier into the sucrose.</li><li>Only use sucrose to relieve the pain of needle pokes. It is not safe to use it simply to calm infants.</li></ul> | | | <h2>Further information</h2><p>For more information about the Comfort Promise bundle of options to relieve the pain of needle pokes, please see the following pages:</p><p>
<a href="https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=990&language=English">Needle pokes: Reducing pain in children aged 18 months or over</a></p><p>
<a href="https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=1258&language=English">Pain relief: Comfort kit</a><br></p><p>
<a href="https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=3627&language=English">Needle pokes: Reducing pain with numbing cream</a></p><p>
<a href="https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=3628&language=English">Needle pokes: Reducing pain with sucrose or breastfeeding</a></p><p>
<a href="https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=3629&language=English">Needle pokes: Reducing pain with comfort positions and distraction</a><br></p> | | <img alt="" src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/paine_free_injection_babies.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/pain_free_injection_babies.jpg | infantneedlepokes | | | | | | Needle pokes: Reducing pain in infants aged up to 18 months | | False | | | | | | | | |
