As a father, there is a lot that you need to be aware of in order to be a great help to your spouse and child. One of the things that you need to understand is the blood test as it is required for children. The issue is particularly important when it comes to children as you need to prepare them for any form of medical tests. At a certain age, your child will most likely require x-rays, injections, imaging, and blood tests due to medical reasons. Being able to prepare them for such encounters and tasking the responsibility to accompany them to the paediatrician is a great way of helping your spouse and bonding with your child.
Why Are Blood Tests Needed?
Every time your child is sick, blood tests will most likely be required as part of the ongoing treatment regime. This will mean a nurse or any other medical professional putting a needle into your child’s veins to draw the blood, which may diagnose the illness. This experience can be very traumatic to children and even adults are known to exhibit some level of discomfort when going through the same process. This is why it is important to prepare your child and make sure you know how to act when you take them for the visit to the paediatrician.
You can also take advantage of various medicines that can reduce the pain your child feels. Talk to your paediatrician and see what they recommend. You also need to stay with your child in the period following the procedure until such a time when they regain their calm. Feeding, hugging, and giving them during the process will also help.
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A blood test can be quite traumatic for a child, especially if they are old enough to understand what a needle is and how it can hurt them. Through repeated vaccinations, children know that a needle can cause pain. Talking to them ahead of the test can help prepare them mentally. During the test, you can distract them with a toy or show them something new in their environment, all while holding their hand tightly enough.
It is very common for a child to refuse a blood test. Be empathetic and try to understand their fear rather than trying to intimidate them into cooperation. Explain the procedure in simple terms and distract them with something interesting. Offering a reward for cooperation, though it may seem like bribing, is a simple and effective way to complete the test.
A child should have their first blood test within 5 days after birth for a routine newborn health screening, and to rule out issues if they were in a high-risk category. They may not need another blood test until they reach adolescence, unless they show symptoms of infections or if they were exposed to specific pathogens.
A routine blood test for a child will be a CBC – complete Blood Count, which will measure various blood cell levels to provide an overview of their health. Children in the high-risk category, or those with specific health issues or a history of problems in their organs, will undergo routine tests to monitor their specific conditions.
