Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Son tired and withdrawing

For needles can you go talk to someone at the phlebotomy place (manager) or even a children's hospital and ask if they have the numbing stuff and if they have a particular protocol for anxiety in teens. Also...do you need any blood work done? I made my kids watch me get it done in preparation of one of them needing blood work.

And lastly make sure (if allowed for whatever tests are ordered) he is well hydrated with water....the more water in your system the easier it is to draw. The more dehydrated, the harder it is.

I could be off base, but if his anxiety about needles is that high (that's pretty intense and not an age-appropriate fear at this point, IMO--other may disagree?), it raises an additional red flag for me regarding the possibility of depression or anxiety.

...it would actually quite concern me, too, since at times, needles are necessary. I may have a slightly different perpective on this, as my children have some mild health issues and "no needles" has not been an option. He will also need shots around this age, unless he's had them already?

When concern about needles may be based upon negative experiences with multiple unsuccessful sticks prior to finding a vessel, requesting use of a butterfly needle may be helpful as "the butterfly's precise placement facilitates venipuncture of thin, "rolling", fragile, or otherwise poorly accessible veins."

I remember when i started high school (starts in 8th grade here) coming home and sleeping. I was exhausted having dealt with 30 kids and about 5 different teachers. But i was also at the beginning of a life long battle with depression.

And I forgot to say get an appointment with the best, most experienced, most patient person there. And if at the hospital, see if child life can help.

EMLA is the name of the cream that numbs the arm before the needle stick, it works like magic. You can get your doctor to prescribe some. Also, my pediatrician has recently started to use a "shot blocker". Its just a plastic board that has plastic bumps on one side and they press that against the skin near where the shot is to be given and it confuses the nerves and the child won't even feel the shot. It works, my daughter just had it done in the summer for vaccinations. I would ask them to use the shot blocker while drawing blood.

I was needle phobic at that age and younger - anxiety before depression. I wasn't pain that was the problem more that some person i didn't know was going to stick a needle in me.