As a child, I was terrified of going to the doctor’s office simply because of the vaccines. I was that child who needed three adults (not kidding) to hold me down to get a vaccine, and I seem to have transferred that gene to my kids. (They hid under my office desk when they came to receive shots at my practice when they were younger 😂.) Despite this fear, I still wanted to become a pediatrician.
In my young adult years and even up until a few years ago, I still had a difficult time receiving shots. One day I had an encounter with a very kind nurse, who did not mock me for being the physician who still had a hard time giving her my arm. She was very gentle, told me to breathe and focus on a pleasant thought, and then gave me the vaccine quickly.
After that, the vaccine experience changed for me. I no longer tremble prior to shots; I just give my arm, breathe, and focus on a good thought. I have taught this approach to my young patients and my kids 😊 (they no longer hide under desks), and I have seen it make a difference.
So be encouraged—receiving shots can be scary, but it is possible to change the experience you have with shots. Thank you, Thimble, for creating a safe space to talk about how we have overcome fears, because it makes us all stronger and more empathetic toward each other.
Mom, Pediatrician, and TEDx Speaker
Founder, Glow Pediatrics, Glow Brain Health Solutions, and Kits of Hope, Inc.