Reduce vaccination pain - Part 3: Topical Anaesthetics / Réduisez la douleur de la vaccination

This is the third video in a series on reducing vaccination pain in your child.
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This video is provided for general information only. It does not replace a diagnosis or medical advice from a healthcare professional who has examined your child and understands their unique needs. Please speak with your doctor to check if the content is suitable for your situation.

Cette vidéo sert à donner des renseignements généraux seulement. Elle ne remplace pas le diagnostic ou les conseils médicaux d'un professionnel de la santé qui a examiné votre enfant et comprend ses besoins uniques. Veuillez consulter votre médecin pour vérifier si le contenu convient à votre situation.

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VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Topical anesthetics.
Controlling your child's pain during vaccination with topical anesthetics.  'And another thing to stop the pain is [inaudible].'

Hospitals all over the world use topical anesthetics to reduce pain in children. They're available as a cream, gel or patch. Most people have experience with them when they are given by injection at the dentist's office.
'My dentist yesterday, when I got my needle, they actually made it numb, so I. It just felt like a little tap.'  

They dull the pain where the needle enters the skin. 'It's gonna take away the sting.'
Your child may still have a sensation of pressure when the vaccine is being injected. This is normal.  

In Canada, you can buy topical anesthetics at the drugstore without a prescription. They are safe for use in children, even babies. The topical anesthetic is applied to the upper arm where the needle will be given.
'I'm going to take off the magic cream now okay?' You need to wait for topical  anesthetics to take effect.
'Is the magic cream on?' 'Yep,the magic cream is on you.' Maxilene takes 30 minutes to work. Ametop takes 45 minutes and Emla takes 60 minutes. If you expect to wait at the clinic, you might want to apply them there instead of at home. If you are using the patch, just peel off the backing and stick the patch on the skin. If you are using the cream or gel, squeezed it out of the tube in a circular pattern on the dressing that's provided until it's about the size of a nickel. This is one gram of the anesthetic, which is one dose, and then put the dressing on your child's skin. Make sure the edges are sealed so the anaesthetic doesn't leak out. Fold over one corner of the dressing onto itself so you have an edge to grab on to later to make it easier to take it off.

If the dressing is not available, you can use plastic wrap. Just wrap it around your child's arm. Ask your doctor whether your child is scheduled for one or more vaccinations so you know whether to apply the anesthetic to one or both arms. Make a note of the time you applied them, or write it directly on the dressing or patch with a pen so that you can make sure you remember to take them off at the appropriate time. 

Remove the dressing carefully as it can get very sticky. If you remove the dressing too quickly, it can cause your child discomfort, like when pulling off a bandage.
'Find a little edge and then stretch it like that.'

Instead, pull the dressing out and away from the skin slowly while securing the opposite corner. The dressing stretches and it will lift off the skin without causing discomfort. Then just wipe the skin with a tissue. You can use a washable marker to show where the anaesthetic was because sometimes you can't tell after you take it off.  

You might notice some changes to the color of your child's skin, either reddening or whitening, this is temporary and goes away after a few hours. Rarely, there can be a skin rash which could be the sign of an allergic skin reaction. If this happens, talk to your healthcare provider about using a different topical anesthetic the next time. 

Topical anesthetics can be used in any setting, including schools. Talk to your child's teacher or public health department about how to make this possible.
'And when it's ready to get the vaccine, we'll take it off and it'll have already penetrated through the skin, okay?'

Using topical anesthetics is one of the many ways to reduce pain in your child during vaccinations.

Don't forget to view the rest of the videos in this series.  
Remember, combining the different methods together will lead to even better results.

#VaccinePain #VaccinesForBabies #ReduceVaccinePain