Hi everyone. I could really use some help. I am having a really tough time giving my son the b12 shots. I have given him a few so far. The last 2 times he would lay on his stomach for a minute so I could give the shot, but today I couldnt even get him to do that. I would prefer to have my husband to help but he is not always around so Im trying to figure out how I can do this on my own. I know a lot of people give the shots after their kids are in bed but I dont really want to do this because Im worried I will wake him up and he wont want to go back to sleep, and also I like to check his urine for a few hours after to make sure that there is no pink, in case I put the needle in too deep. Also, I am using the EMLA numbing cream... Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions for me, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
Shouldn't the numbing cream prevent the sting of the pentration of the needle?
I would suggest the shotblocker, but apparently the company has stopped selling them due to some patent issue. THat is what we use to take away the sting. But was used it as a distraction from the actual syringe. Basically, we would tell Helon that she was getting a 'talking vitamin' (term used ny our first DAN doc) and would show her the shotblocker. We could give all her favorite toys a talking vitamin and give mommy and daddy a talking vitamin. Then it would be her turn. So maybe you can just find something that could be a distraction from the needle because if you are using the numbing cream, he shouldn't feel it.
However, if he feels stinging or pain on the injection site after you have injected the mb-12, then the mb-12 might be defective. I have had a couple bad batches. mb-12 should not hurt at all when injected. It is such a senstive and difficult mixure to manufacture so there can be some problems w/ the pH balance. Also, make sure it is not exposed to light. This can cause the pH balance to change and cause it to sting.
I give the injections to my kids at night because it is easier for me. Never had a problem w/ them waking up.
Thanks Jenni.. It doesnt seem like the shot bothers him after I give it to him.. Then he is fine.. Its really just getting him to stay still long enough for me to stick the needle in at all. He is very active. Never wants to stay still for a minute..I dont think he sees the needle and relates it to giving him a shot.. But he is nonverbal so I really dont know.. And for some reason he just doesnt want to lie on his stomach, but I think that is the only way to give the shot to get it at a shallow angle isnt it? Well, thanks againWe also give ours at night after he is asleep. I found this item at the TacaI just wanted to chime in here on the shotblocker even though I'm new. I have 2 kids on the spectrum, one with Asperger's and another with full blown autism. The shotblocker wasn't just a distraction device, it worked (and works for those who still have them) because all the little nubs activate the neurons in entire surface area that it covers, and causing all those neurons to fire "confuses" the system so to speek and makes the neurons that fire in response to any pain from an injection weaker, if they fire at all (since they are already firing in response to the shotblocker, even though it isn't painful). Although we aren't giving MB-12 shots, the whole shotblocker issue has infuriated me because it is a harmless piece of plastic that actually works to reduce pain from shots, and was the ONLY way short of restraining my Asperger's son to convince him to comply for any kind of shot - because he understood the theory behind it. At any rate, the FDA required the manufacturer to pay for extremely expensive testing to approve it as a medical device, since it was being used as such, and the cost fast testing thus far hasn't been warranted because it's an inexpensive product and the testing would cost more. This pisses me off because the FDA approves medication that kills people, let one of my kids get salmonella from tainted peanut butter products, but is blocking the sale of this product which helps kids... and my 2 autistic spectrum kids loved them just for their odd sensory texture as well. If you want to get your hands on a shotblocker, the only way to do it now is to have your pediatrician email boinix, the inventer of the product, as I guess they are sloooowly getting the approved tests by sending free samples to pediatricians to "evaluate" the product to meet the required FDA testing. I spent hours upon hours doing research on how to get a hold of this product because my Asperger's son needs frequent injections for other reasons un related to his Asperger's..... Our pediatrician had run out of them, they weren't available anymore, and I was able to find out how for the doctor's office to get more for free (they can't be sold) and in the process get one for my son. I would really reccomend this because it isn't just a distraction... it actually works, and believe me my 12 year old Aspie who is deathly afraid of needles but readily accepts them with the shotblocker would let me know (again and again, and again) if it didn't. Also, while I wouldn't have any idea if it did anything for my 3 year old non-verbal autistic child as she doesn't seem to respond to pain (she's never cried in response to a shot or IV) - her twin and our 8 year old have never cried even after a painful vaccine when the shotblocker was used... if a toddler (the non autistic one) doesn't cry after a shot or seem to be in pain, chances are the product works as intended. You can get your hands on one through your pediatrician or by emailing product development at boinix (this is how I found out how to get more)... or perhaps your local children's hospital still has some left, although Dr.'s offices are increasingly reluctant to part with them as they don't all know how to get a hold of them lately. I'm a big advocate of this product because our 12 year old is impossible for me to restrain without getting hurt and it was the only way we could get him to take the injections he needs.
If you can give it while he's asleep with the shotblocker, he probably won't even feel it.
Maybe you can sneak in in the morning before he wakes up?I told my son it was a new shot called an "Air shot"...he never saw the needle (I hid it under a paper towel) and I would tell him I woud do it onthe count of 5 but I did it on 1...he was till waiting for the shot to come on 5. and I would say All Done! The needles are so small that the shot does not even hurt and we did not use the numbing cream.