I had a blood draw recently, and there was a young mother and her son ahead of me. He appeared to be about a year old; I saw them when they entered the little procedure room. The child was happy, I could see his smile and hear the sing-song in his child noises. Mom and he "talked" as did the tech and the child. Then, the tone changed when the tech asked the mother to hold the child. The little boy stopped singing and started a whining, "Let me go!" sound. I could not see inside the room, but I guess this was the part when he was being held still and his sleeve was rolled up because it was time for the cold alcohol swab. Then, I heard a yelp of pain! He must have started wriggling around, because the tech asked his mother to please hold him still. I'll bet he was moving around like an eel! Next, the child's holler changed from pain to indignation. He was mad, and although his mother sang nursery rhymes and squeaked his squeaky toy, the child would not be silenced all through the time his mother put his snowsuit back on. He finally stopped expressing his loud displeasure and quieted to a few disdainful sniffs when his bottle was placed in his mouth. Even then, he'd drink a little from the bottle, stop and do a whimper, and go back to the bottle. His mother kept making comforting sounds to him.
I feel sorry for babies when they have to have these procedures, because they do not understand why someone is causing them pain and discomfort. We adults know we are trying to keep them healthy, although these tests are no fun for us to watch or the children to have. I think we adults get as weepy inside as the child gets weepy on the outside!
Take care,
Sylvia
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