Any #ActuallyAutistic people on here have any suggestions for helping my autistic 11yo have his vaccination shot. Tried today & it resulted in meltdown & no vaccination. He’s afraid of the pain.
@Amcchisholm Could try and get him to focus on you or something else since the shot is nearly painless. A distraction might work to get his attention off of watching it long enough for it to be administered, might not even know he got the shot until they say it's all done.
@Amcchisholm my 32yo son is on the spectrum. I’ve had to get a shot in from of him to show him it doesn’t hurt. You might want to ask the dr. to spray a numbing solution on the skin beforehand and have your son touch it so he knows it’s numb and the shot won’t hurt.
@Amcchisholm am #actuallyautistic — my 16yo is not but has mild intellectual disability & ADHD, gets extreme anxiety & melts down w/ needles. She is helped by having more time to adjust to the space (now down to needing 20 min instead of an hour!), playing her music, being allowed to cry, & having a friend with her (not me, anymore), & once, by having arms hold her tightly. One shot was 3 days of trial & error, observing & deciding next steps/options. Grateful for the understanding staff!
@Amcchisholm when speaking with the staff ahead of the shot, ask them if there is a quiet space with fewer things that may distress or overwhelm your child. Is he bothered by fluorescent lights, beeping sounds and clicks, etc.? If there is no alternate space, he may need extra time to settle into a calm, maybe by stimming if it’s not interfering with the shot prep. That’s another thing we did — I was given an elastic and we practiced the routine of shot prep at home. (She hated it, but…)
@Amcchisholm
I am not autistic, but I've heard good things about Buzzy for kids who are afraid of shots: https://shop.paincarelabs.com/products/buzzy®-mini-personal
My daughter is on the spectrum.
A promised reward, on the spot or immediately after went a long way.
Thank God for M&M ice cream sandwiches, French fries, pizza, McDonald’s…
I’d also taught her that Mommy hugs were magic. If she snuggled up in my arms while she got the shot, she’d be okay.
Magic mommy hugs went a very long way. Of course, now she’s too cool for those 🙃
Would it help if you “practice” with him? Tell him it’s just like a tiny pinch and if he’s okay with it, count 1-2-3 and pinch a bit of the skin on his arm quickly. Ask if he’s okay with that sensation, and if he is, then he’ll be okay with the shot. (As for the arm ache he might get later, well, it’s usually easier for kids than for grownups.)
Often for autistic people, that kind of anxiety has more to do with not knowing exactly what to expect. If he has a good idea what it’ll feel like, he might be more open to it.
@sanau thank you. They got as far as the injection but he pulled away soon as he felt it so nothing went in. Now he knows it hurts and is afraid of trying again. Going to try numbing spray if that’s allowed as some people have suggested.
cc Hi @Kitty62862 ! is your daughter autistic? any advice for > @Amcchisholm ?
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