Blood tests :(

I'm going to take miss 4 to have the blood test for coeliacs today.

I've been putting it off for ages and I'm really not looking forward to it. When we got her gene tested as a toddler it was awful. They had issues finding the vein, it took 3 attempts and she was beside herself whenever a nurse came near her. I cried all the way home afterwards (I was hoping we'd be told she didn't carry the coeliacs gene but no such luck). Last year she was tested for a bleeding disorder before going into hospital and it took both Dh and I to hold her down, she's so strong.

Any suggestions to make this easier on us?

Talk with her about it beforehand - as soon as possible. Explain why she needs to get it done, and that yes it will hurt - but it will just be for a little bit, and then it will feel better.... so it will be hard, but you know that she can be a brave girl. And that afterwards you can go out somewhere for a special fluffy and something yummy to celebrate her being so brave.

Keep it factual and positive. Explain that it's the nurses job to take blood to see if people need medicine to keep them healthy (or in her case, to eat different food). You can also talk about how you feel when you get blood taken - that sometimes you feel nervous.

Go through all the steps - waiting in the waiting room, going into the little room, sitting on the special chair (you can tell her she can sit on your lap and you can cuddle her), holding your arm out veeeerrrry still on the special pillow, getting a wee prick while they take the blood out, etc etc. And maybe talk about how sometimes when you feel nervous about it, you look away so you can't see the needle and talk about something else to keep your mind off it.   She'll find it easier if she knows what to expect, and knows that it's normal to feel a bit scared - but that it's all ok, and that mummy's with her, and that it's to help her.

You can even role play it a bit - get her to be the nurse, set up a special 'chair' with the pillow, get a rubber band to put around your arm and something to squeeze, and then she can 'take your blood' - while checking to make sure that you're ok and not too scared!

Good luck

Thanks for the tips.

Tishy, you're so right about me being nervous. 

I did what you said Liz and explained why we needed to have the test done and what it involved. 

I had to take the wee guy to the docs this morning so while I was there I got the nurse to put some of that numbing cream on her arms.  I also bought her a lollypop before the blood test so she had something else to focus on and I took her to the mall to choose her own gift after. 

It turned out to be a pretty pain free experience for both of us.  Now fx for a good result.

Edited by MrsMojo

I just noticed that the blood form I have for Jake has coeliacs AB box checked... Is that the same thing??? Kel has me freaking out they are going to take half of Jakes blood He is so little for a big needle I was ok with the RAST as that was just a pin prick.. might need DH if they are actually going into a vein!

Mel, sorry!!

Mrs Mojo, how many vials were taken?

Glad it went well Jo... it's good that you could explain everything to her. I was going to suggest a lollipop - that's what gets Chloe through her jabs tear-free Wish I could explain to Ollie about needles, he screams and freaks out and they have so much trouble finding a vein, trying both hands and feet. He hates hospitals now and screams even when they just put the little oxygen detector on his toes.

melnel wrote: Not helping Littlebug LOL

I'm so sorry, didn't think before I wrote all that!

sounds like u did great mummying there, we did bloods 3x a week for 11 weeks and it is horrid. x fingers for the results to be good. xoxoxo

AandCsmum wrote: Mel, sorry!! Mrs Mojo, how many vials were taken?

 

Kel, they only took one vial.

Her blood test came back negative for coeliacs which is great but doesn't explain the sore tummy's and frequent runny poos *sigh*

Anthea I'm a diagnosed coeliac so I always eat gluten free and all cooked meals are gluten free but the kids and DH have gluten-based breakfast cereals and bread plus a lot of kids snacks aren't gluten free.  We decided early on that our kids would only go gluten free if they were diagnosed with gluten intolerance/coeliacs.

Edited by MrsMojo

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