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EMLA Cream and Vaccinations

pretty_helmetpretty_helmet member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

i read an article in Parenting magazine about several ways to take the sting out of shots.  one method was called EMLA cream and it is a topical anesthetic that deadens pain.  has anyone used this method?  what were your thoughts?

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Re: EMLA Cream and Vaccinations

  • madhatter2003madhatter2003

    I used it when my DD had to have blood drawn, but not for shots. Honestly the shots don't seem to hurt that long, and my insurance doesn't cover the cream so it's $$$$

    It did seem to help for the blood draw. I'm tempted to use it on me since I hate having my blood drawn.

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  • RachandJerRachandJer member
    I read that article as well.  We haven't tried the cream, but I did try nursing while she got the shots.  That didn't really seem to help at all :( 
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  • peanutonthewaypeanutontheway member

    I use it all the time where I worked in the children's hospital.  Honestly, I never noticed a difference.  A lot of kids would associate the EMLA with a poke they were gonna get so they would be inconsolable for the 30 min it was sitting on their skin.  A lot of parents said just forget it, at least the kid wouldn't be so worked up about it before hand.  We actually had better luck with distraction.  We had a wonderful child life department that would help us distract the kids while they were getting poked.  They would still react but usually it was a lesser reaction and were quick to get back to their game after.

    I've also used it on teenagers at the hospital and most of them told me it didn't make much of a difference.

    ETA: These children get poked a lot.  That is why I said they associate the EMLA with the pokes.

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  • nurseamynurseamy member
    We use it on my floor.  I agree that many associate it with the shot or blood draw and get more anxious prior.  Either way with a shot it might reduce some of the discomfort but you still feel the vaccine going in.  I tried it when I got my flu shot...it doesn't get rid of the sting, but reduces the feeling of the initial poke.  I also find that the little ones that we put on it for blood draws, we usually don't find a good enough vein and go somewhere else in the end...so it kinda defeats the purpose. 
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