Fear of vaccinations Parents should not play down pain by syringe

Parents should not trivialize the pain of vaccination against their child
Alone because of the syringe, some people are afraid of vaccination. Especially children shy away from the little pricks. Parents should not play down the pain of the syringe to their offspring, but talk to them about it.

Children to facilitate vaccination
When it comes to vaccination prevails in this country often uncertainty. Parents are often worried that they might harm the child as a result. In fact, vaccinations can be associated with side effects. Worried even more than the parents are mostly the children. They are often very afraid of the injection. The Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations (ABDA) has in a message from the news agency dpa valuable tips on what parents can do to make it easier for children to get vaccinated.

When children are vaccinated, parents should not play down the associated pain. Rather, they should talk to their offspring about what happens during the injection. (Image: Konstantin Yuganov / fotolia.com)

Be honest with the offspring
"Vaccination is one of the most important and effective preventive measures available in medicine. Modern vaccines are well tolerated and adverse drug reactions are rarely seen. "This statement from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is unlikely to reassure children who are afraid of getting an injection.

To take away their fear, parents should be honest with their offspring. Allegedly reassuring phrases like "That does not hurt at all" stir up the anxiety and distrust of the next injection, according to ABDA.

Distraction can help
According to the experts, it is better for adults to talk with their child about what happens during vaccination right before the injection. During the process, distraction is helpful. In the case of young children, for example, they can be inflated balloons or soap bubbles. In babies, the sucking on the pacifier can be pain-reducing.

Some vaccines can also be given without injection. For example, there are nasal sprays for children as a flu vaccine. There have also been years of work on skin administration.

Relieve the pain of the puncture
In individual cases, it may also be easier for children if painkillers or creams containing the active substance lidocaine are used to relieve the pain of the puncture. These are provided for children over four months, according to the agency report.

According to the experts, the patches, which are available without a prescription at the pharmacy, have to work at least 30 to 60 minutes before the vaccination. However, the parents have to cover the costs themselves. (Ad)