Fear of injections is one of the most common fears;
It goes beyond closing the eyes and holding one's breath until the matter is over. Some may collapse as soon as they hear that their medicine depends on a syringe, so getting a Covid-19 vaccine was impossible for some.
And if this is the case for adults, what might happen to the children who have decided in most countries to start receiving the Corona vaccine from the age of 12, and in some countries the vaccine will be given to children starting from the age of 5 years.
Studies say that about 3.5% of the world's population suffers from injection phobia, a disorder with symptoms similar to a bloodophobia, and symptoms include fainting, increased heart rate, excessive sweating, and extreme cold.
But researchers confirmed that the reaction of children's companions while receiving the injection is the main cause of feelings of fear and turmoil in young children.
Never criticize your child's feeling of fear, or minimize it, these moments will remain in his mind forever (Reuters)
In a recent study conducted by the "International Association for the Study of Pain" last July - published in the "Pain" journal - on the pathways for receiving pain during the vaccination of pre-school children, researchers observed the relationship between children and their parents or health care providers In the first minutes while getting vaccinated.
In the first minute, the use of coping phrases such as "You've got the vaccine, or you're going to feel better now" was associated with more distress in the children, in contrast to children whose parents did not utter such phrases;
In an attempt by those who used these phrases to spare their children anxiety, what happened was the opposite, as children were exposed to more anxiety.
In the second minute, the child seemed to have become calmer and more receptive to the situation, and phrases such as "don't be a child" were annoying to many of the vaccinated children.
The emphasis on keeping children calm before they were vaccinated was more worrying than usual.
Emphasizing how calm children are before they get vaccinated is more worrying than usual (Getty Images)
What should parents do to relieve anxiety in their children before the vaccine?
Before receiving the vaccine, try to keep the child as calm as possible, and use meditation, deep breathing, and visualization strategies.
In the first minute after the injection, never speak;
Use your physical senses more, hug your baby or hold his hand.
Do not use phrases adapting to the injection, and do not try to distract him, as this will increase his suffering and deepen his sense of the horror of what happened.
Two minutes after the injection, your child will begin to calm down;
At this moment, you have to motivate him by telling him that everything is over and that any pain will be gone soon.
Never criticize or minimize your child's feeling of fear, as these moments will remain in his mind forever;
Either you make him receptive to injections, or he suffers from injection phobia throughout his life.