What do you give for shots?

Question

Tomorrow my son is getting his 2nd set of shots...any recomendations on what to give him as fas as pain and to take his mind of them? Thanks

Answer 1

I don't choose to immunize during infancy, but that's another answer for another question... ;)
Around 2 years, the child starts their immunizations, and I use a few drops of Bach's Rescue Remedy in a few sips of water just before they are given, and as soon after as the child will accept it. Also if you've ever tried the homeopathic teething tablets, the main ingred. in them is chammomila, homeopathic chammomile, which is a calming agent and pain reliever. I found it worked just as well for immunization-related fussiness and pain.

I'm extremely careful about what I give my babies, and would use these on a 4 month old with the utmost confidence; moreso than Tylenol or Motrin, even. You can read more about them by searching online a bit, if you are interested in more natural remedies. HTH!

Answer 2

My doctor also said to give Tylenol about 1/2 hour before the shots and again at bedtime that night. Your baby will cry though. There is no way around it. You probably would too if you were poked without warning. Even if you try to distract them, they'll definatelly notice a stick in their leg. My daughter doesn't see it coming for the first, but we definatelly don't delay the second shot as she's really pissed by then. Generally though she forgets by the time we're in the car (sometimes sooner). Truth is I think it's harder on mom.

My favorite trick though came from my mother. Sometimes the old school techniques are really the best. Apply a cold compress on the injection site to ease the pain and reduce some of the swelling. I placed my daughter in her swing wearing a diaper shirt so that each leg was exposed (she got a shot in each thigh) and wedged a cold washcloth between each thigh and the edge of the seat. It really does help. Thanks mom!

Hint - don't dress baby in white - sometimes they bleed a little before you get a chance to put on a bandaid.

Answer 3

I gave my son a bottle right before to calm him down. But nothing will stop the crying of the needle going in. Afterwards you can give infant tylenol, check with the doctor on the dosage because it's based on weight. Then just give plenty of TLC. Expect a cranky baby for the first 24-48 hours. The 2nd set of shots makes baby crankier than the 1st set.

EDIT: someone said to give .8 ml of tylenol to a 4month old. This is not always correct, it's based on weight not age when they are this young. My 4 month old was only to have .6ml. Make sure you check with the doctor on the dosage.

Answer 4

A few words of advise: make sure your son is wearing a two piece outfit so that you can have him almost completely dresses when he is given the shots. This helps so that you don't have to lay him down to zip up pajamas, just pull up his pants. Hold him instead of having him lay on the bed. Try to give him a little sugar-water before his shots to help with the pain (I use pedialyte instead), and ask your doctor about Infant Tylenol. My doc told me to give my daughter .4mL of infant tylenol immediately after her shots and then as needed for fever. Also if you have to schedule an appointment for his next visit do it when you check in to the office, then you won't have to juggle an upset child while scheduling his appt. Good luck. These things will not make him not cry but they will hopefully make it easier.

Answer 5

right before you leave the house give his some Tylenol or Ibuprofen by the time he gets his shots it will be in his system and it wont have a bad reaction such a a fever. take sticker books or fruit roll ups and if hes getting more than one shot ask for two nurses to do it at the same time then you get it over with. also maybe ask for another nurse to hold him while you show him pictures or feed him grapes or something to keep his wondering mind off the nurses

Answer 6

My pediatritian reccomended I give my son a dose of infant tylenol 30 mintues before we came in, and at the hospital when he was circumcised, the nurse gave him about 2 oz of sugar water to calm him down afterwards.

Answer 7

I totally disagree with everyone saying to give Tylenol or the like.

Wouldn't you WANT to know and/or see if your child has a reaction to a vaccine? If you pre-treat like that you may never know, or the reaction would be lessened. ( some may think that lessening a reaction is a good thing...well, no....if your child gets deathly ill or suffers irreversible damage from the vaccine, you'll need to know when *it* started and if you catch it fast enough you may be able to reverse the reaction...)

Answer 8

assuming that he is about 4 months old you should be able to give him .8ml of infants tyenol. I give my daughter a dosage before we go to the doctor and than 4 hours after she gets her shots.

Answer 9

I asked the same question to my PD and he advice me of infant Tylenol but check with your PDabout the dose.

Answer 10

tylenol about 1/2 an hour before his app.