In the first year of life, doctors recommend infants get vaccinations to prevent diseases like polio and hepatitis B, among others. Painful for little ones. But now there may be a way to stop the tears.
New research finds that parents may be able to make it easier depending on how they comfort their child.
One way do so is what researchers call the "5 S plan": It includes swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging and sucking. The other way, more traditional methods, such as pacifiers and distraction.
Investigators looked at 230 infants who were having their two-to-four month vaccinations and divided them into groups, giving some children sugar water with their vaccines which cuts the pain while others were just given water.
Then groups were comforted with the "5 S plan" and traditional methods. And the the babies' reactions were recorded. Doctors found that, overall, infants in the 5 S groups with or without the sugar water to cut the pain had a lower pain score and cried less than those babies who were comforted with the traditional methods.
Although breast feeding has been known to comfort a child in pain, breast feeding may not be an option for some, so doctors recommend the 5 S approach for these little ones.
New research finds that parents may be able to make it easier depending on how they comfort their child.
One way do so is what researchers call the "5 S plan": It includes swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging and sucking. The other way, more traditional methods, such as pacifiers and distraction.
Investigators looked at 230 infants who were having their two-to-four month vaccinations and divided them into groups, giving some children sugar water with their vaccines which cuts the pain while others were just given water.
Then groups were comforted with the "5 S plan" and traditional methods. And the the babies' reactions were recorded. Doctors found that, overall, infants in the 5 S groups with or without the sugar water to cut the pain had a lower pain score and cried less than those babies who were comforted with the traditional methods.
Although breast feeding has been known to comfort a child in pain, breast feeding may not be an option for some, so doctors recommend the 5 S approach for these little ones.
