The Dreaded Shots!

Well Visits

Some kids you can just prep and plan and know they will do fine at their well visit.

Other kids need no prep because if you prep them they will worry and have anxiety until the visit is over.

I believe in vaccinating my children.  I have done my own fair share of research over each one and I feel my pediatrician is on point, not out to get me, and wants what is best for my child.  It also helps that he is a father of 3 small boys and also vaccinates his sons.

However, I do not give my kids 4 shots at once, or allow the nurse to.  I space out our shots and if that means more trips for me, so be it.  I'd rather see how they respond to each vaccination and space them out.  It's what works for us as a family.

Mark is my tender, shy guy who witnessed his older sister getting her booster shot at 5.  He has NOT wanted to turn 5 for fear of this shot.  On today's visit, he did wonderful!  I did not prep him at all.  In fact my girl friend came over to babysit and he was wondering why he couldn't stay to play with her.  I told him we had to run a few errands together.

We did.  We went to the cleaners, the farmer's market, dunkin donuts, and then I told him our next stop was Dr. Shih's office.  He didn't seem worried at all.  My own heart was beating very fast.  I told him I couldn't wait to find out how tall he got this past year and how much he weighs now.  I kept it very positive.  Once we arrived and I filled out paperwork he started asking me, "Mom, am I going to get a shot?  I hope I don't get a shot mom."  "Mark, we will see what Dr. Shih says."

The visit went extremely well, he weighs 38lbs, he is 41 inches tall, he has 20 20 vision.  Dr. Shih was so surprised that he hadn't had to see Mark in a year.  (We have been very healthy; praise the Lord!)  He loved how chatty Mark was and I did too.  When it was time for us to visit the room and nurse with the shot he did tense up.  But he sat on my lap, chose the arm he would get the shot in and I had him practice squeezing my hand.

He cried for maybe 30 seconds.  After all, shots do pinch.  But he got stickers, lollipops for himself and his siblings and we were on our way!  So it looks like the less prep the better when it comes to Mark.  I'm so glad it's over.  We ended today at the Let's You frozen yogurt place...every brave child deserves a reward after getting a shot!