Anxiety

My little girl is heading off to India with her father, aunt, cousins and grandparents next month. Her father was born there and her grandparents were born and raised there and started their family in different parts of the country. Next month, the entire family is heading to India (Mumbai) for a family wedding and an opportunity for much of my ex's family to meet Mira for the first time. There is always going to be a part of me that worries about my little girl travelling without me, whether it be Ottawa, Florida or as far as away as India. I am also, however, very excited that she gets to go to India and experience such a neat place! I am feeling good about the fact that she will be with her extended family members, who know the ins and outs of India really well. Being only 5 years old, I hope that she can remember some of this remarkable trip and appreciate the things that she'll see. It'll be a long 9 days for her Mama back at home, but I am grateful that her grandparents are going and providing her with this opportunity.

In preparation for the trip, my ex and I wanted to make sure that our little monkey girl was properly immunized. There are many diseases over there that aren't of concern to us here in Canada and we want our precious girl to be protected. So, her father got her the first of three doses of Twinrix, which protects against Hep A and B. I was the one to take her to her second dose.

Mira used to do really well with needles. In the fall I took her for her 5 year old vaccinations and they were over and done with before she really realized what had happened. She still wasn't impressed with the fact that she got needles. So when it came time for her Dad to take her for Twinrix, she was panicking. She screamed like she was being axe murdered while being given the needle.

Luckily I knew about this needle aversion before I took her for her second dose. It didn't seem to matter though. No matter how much re-assurance I provided and soothing thoughts I tried to instill in her, she was starting to go into a frenzy before the nurse even rolled up her sleeve.

She fought, kicked, grabbed and screamed while I had to try and hold her still (while protecting little Baby G belly from being abused) so that the nurse could administer the shot. She shrieked and almost blew out my right ear drum.

Immediately after giving Mira the shot, the nurse left the room to get Mira some more stickers (one of the bribes used by the nurse to get her to co-operate). Once the nurse left, Mira walked over to me and said she had a headache. She was also a funny colour of green and white. She sat on my knee and her eyes suddenly rolled back in her head and she slumped to the floor.

I, of course, as any mother would do, started screaming Mira's name and crying. I had no idea what was going on and why Mira was behaving this way. The doctor and nurse quickly scooped Mira up off the floor and put her on the bed. Mira came back around quickly and they monitored her blood pressure and oxygen while Mira lay crying on the table. I was crying in the chair. I had thought that it was a reaction to the needle.

The doctor tried to re-assure me that it wasn't a reaction, but rather it was Mira's body shutting down because of the immense stress she was experiencing. The insane stress and slight pain of the needle likely caused an overwhelming affect in her body and her body compensated by dropping her blood pressure and causing her to black out. Mira was completely fine and was ready to go (with a handful of stickers) within 15 minutes. However, it was a traumatic experience for both her and I. She still has a 3rd dose in August and I'm trying to figure out how to reduce her stress.

I have to go for a Rhogam shot on monday for the pregnancy (if you have a negative blood type) and so I'm going to bring Mira with me so she can see someone getting a needle without all the panic and stress. I'm sure it won't cure her of her fear and it'll be something that she'll have to work through, but any little bit helps right?

Any suggestions from anyone out there whose children suffer from needle-induced anxiety to the point where they pass out?