"I am a 59 year old grandmother, and am terrified of needles.  I got Buzzy and had my first flu vaccine ever.  I felt nothing.  Buzzy is one of the greatest inventions ever!" Dianne L.

Bring a Buzzy to the doctor.

No Fear!  BEE empowered!

Although needle pain from a shot may not seem like a big deal, needle sticks are the most common and most feared cause of medical pain in the world. ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ An immunization may "only hurt for a second," but the impact for children can be a lifetime of needle phobia. Even in premature infants, untreated pain worsens medical outcomes⁽³⁾ and is remembered months later, demonstrated by increased crying. ^{(4, 5)}

As babies who are sensitized to needles grow up, they may avoid medical treatment, ⁽⁶⁾ refuse to donate blood,^(7-9) or refuse flu shots due to fear of needle pain. ⁽¹⁰⁾ When they have children, they may even be less likely to immunize their own children. ⁽¹¹⁾

Studies identify an age-related needle phobia,⁽¹²⁾ suggesting unmanaged immunization needle pain may be a cause.^(13-15) Children now get more than 20 needle sticks before they are two years old.

Although the American Academy of Pediatrics says to use pain control "whenever possible,"(16) only 2.1 of an estimated 18 million IV sticks each year are done with pain management. Only 6% of mothers reported ever having topical numbing creams used for their children's shots.⁽¹⁴⁾ Awareness and use of available pain control methods for children can result in years of improved health.

References:

¹ Schechter NL, Zempsky WT, Cohen LL, McGrath PJ, McMurtry CM, Bright NS. Pain reduction during pediatric immunizations: evidence-based review and recommendations. Pediatrics 2007;119(5):e1184-98.

² Cummings EA, Reid GJ, Finley GA, McGrath PJ, Ritchie JA. Prevalence and source of pain in pediatric inpatients. Pain 1996;68(1):25-31.

³ Anand KJ, Sippell WG, Aynsley-Green A. Randomised trial of fentanyl anaesthesia in preterm babies undergoing surgery: effects on the stress response. Lancet 1987;1(8524):62-6.

⁴ Taddio A, Katz J, Ilersich AL, Koren G. Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain response during subsequent routine vaccination. Lancet 1997;349(9052):599-603.

⁵ Weisman SJ, Bernstein B, Schechter NL. Consequences of inadequate analgesia during painful procedures in children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1998;152(2):147-9.

⁶ Vika M, Raadal M, Skaret E, Kvale G. Dental and medical injections: prevalence of self-reported problems among 18-yr-old subjects in Norway. Eur J Oral Sci 2006;114(2):122-7.

⁷ Harrington M, Sweeney MR, Bailie K, Morris K, Kennedy A, Boilson A, et al. What would encourage blood donation in Ireland? Vox Sang 2007;92(4):361-7.

⁸ Grossman B, Watkins AR, Fleming F, Debaun MR. Barriers and motivators to blood and cord blood donations in young African-American women. Am J Hematol 2005;78(3):198-202.

⁹ Wiwanitkit V. Knowledge about blood donation among a sample of Thai university students. Vox Sang 2002;83(2):97-9.

¹⁰ Allsup SJ, Gosney MA. Difficulties of recruitment for a randomized controlled trial involving influenza vaccination in healthy older people. Gerontology 2002;48(3):170-3.

¹¹ Froehlich H, West DJ. Compliance with hepatitis B virus vaccination in a high-risk population. Ethn Dis 2001;11(3):548-53.

¹² Goodenough B, Thomas W, Champion GD, Perrott D, Taplin JE, von Baeyer CL, et al. Unravelling age effects and sex differences in needle pain: ratings of sensory intensity and unpleasantness of venipuncture pain by children and their parents. Pain 1999;80(1-2):179-90.

¹³ Hamilton JG. Needle phobia: a neglected diagnosis. J Fam Pract 1995;41(2):169-75.

¹⁴ Taddio A, Manley J, Potash L, Ipp M, Sgro M, Shah V. Routine immunization practices: use of topical anesthetics and oral analgesics. Pediatrics 2007;120(3):e637-43.

¹⁵ Kleinknecht RA. Acquisition of blood, injury, and needle fears and phobias. Behav Res Ther 1994;32(8):817-23.

¹⁶ The assessment and management of acute pain in infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatrics 2001;108(3):793-7.