Worried mom creates device for pain-free shots
Dr. Amy Baxter's business was inspired by her son's tears.
As an emergency medicine specialist, Dr. Baxter did everything she thought possible to plan and prepare her son for routine shots at the pediatrician. Despite numbing cream and toys for distraction, her son, who was four at the time, was terrified.
"If I was so disempowered that I couldn't even intervene and say hold on a second, or wait or this is how we're going to do this, what can any parent do," she wondered.
That experience was the inspiration for Buzzy, a physiologic pain blocker that uses high-frequency vibration and a cold pack. The sensation of the frozen pack attached to Buzzy and the vibration from the plastic device itself helps to desensitize the nerves and dull the pain of the shot.
More than 49,000 have sold since Dr. Baxter launched Buzzy in her basement in 2009. This year, they're on target for one million dollars in sales.
While focused predominantly on Buzzy, Dr. Baxter still sees patients once a week and offers parents this additional advice:
How can parents better prepare their children to visit the doctor?
Focus on what else is going on in a child's body, and what they want to talk to the doctor about and ask questions about. Training children to feel comfortable asking doctors about 'body things' is an important part of our medical system. "Why is my poop brown?" "Where does my belly button go?" "Why do I burp?" "What is this bump?" With a prepared question, your child has a task to concentrate on and a mission. No matter how the shots go, they can come away with feeling proud they got an answer to their question.
Do you think it's possible to over-prepare and make your child more anxious?
Absolutely. Offer a nervous kid an opportunity to prepare as long as they keep asking questions. When they stop, you stop. And don't bring it up unless they do.
Do you think it's important to consider the order in which shots are administered?
Research shows that younger children have less distress when the most painful shot is given LAST, but one abstract showed adolescents reported less pain when the HPV (which is most painful) was given first. Interestingly, while parents prefer two people give the shots at once if there are multiple ones, there isn't a difference in distress for kids.
What is the best way to establish a good, collaborative relationship with your child's doctor and your own doctor?
Doctors are used to dealing with one or two major questions at a time, and nothing is less productive than introducing the problem you're REALLY worried about as they touch the door handle to leave after they think you're done. Try to have, at most, two problems you would like to discuss, and introduce them up front. If you have more, email in advance to give the doctor a heads up.
Melissa Long is an Emmy-award winning anchor/reporter with Gannett's WXIA-TV in Atlanta. Her 'Women in Charge' segment offers advice and inspiration. We do not receive any financial compensation for recommending any product, company or website.
Meet another 'Woman in Charge' by clicking here: