Posted on: 20.1.22 20:30
Fear of any medical procedure, especially in children is a natural thing. The parents’ approach to the vaccine and the procedure greatly affects the children, their level of fear and even the intensity of the pain they experience. Parental behavior is important before and during the corona vaccine.
Guiding principles to overcome fear:
Give legitimacy and a place for fear to show understanding and acceptance and allow to express the fear or concern about confidentiality, not to cancel or underestimate the fear.
Choose a suitable time and plan a designated time when the parent is free and the child is not tired or ill. Lack of parental stress and anger increases a child’s fear, and his or her resistance to the vaccine.
Prepare the child for the vaccine by providing an explanation and rationale for the importance of vaccination.
It is important that the child feels that he has control over the process, that he is not being taken by force, but that he is a partner in the decision to get vaccinated.
Providing an explanation that the vaccine may prevent the possibility of getting sick or infecting others, and allows for the protection of the child, his family and his environment and the protection of the general public.
In addition, the vaccine can increase the body’s ability to fight the virus if the child becomes infected.
It is important to avoid words that can intensify anxiety, for example: do not tell the child, you must get vaccinated because the disease is very severe and you can die.
Explain what the vaccination procedure involves when you are going to get vaccinated, at what center, who they will meet there, about the vaccine being done using a needle, that there will be a stinging sensation with mild pain, but the pain is momentary and it passes.
The distraction during the vaccination is an object or game that the child brings with him from home, music during the injection, one that will also be played on the way to the vaccination and calms the child, or watching the screen. You can also practice at home, before going out for the vaccine, relaxation and breathing, which will help to get through the vaccine with less pain and fear.
Keep calm and give support It is important that the parent conveys calmness, ease, and that the child feels that the parent is by his or her aid and help.
Strengthen the child after the vaccine Strengthen the child after the vaccine, ask how he felt? Praise him, for being a hero despite the fear and overcame.
One can later tell at home about the way the child coped, thus empowering him.