Intramuscular injections (colloquially - injections) are often prescribed for small patients. The reasons can be very different: a strong fever or acute pain must be removed in minutes, not hours, you can not give a pill for vomiting, etc. Of course, health workers know best how to give injections to children. Injections at home with the hands of households are not the best way to treat a child. Each medical manipulation, accompanied by damage to the skin (which, of course, include intramuscular injections), must be performed by a health professional and subject to strict conditions and rules.
Before giving injections to children, remember that any form of self-treatment is fraught with complications and troubles, especially with regard to self-administered injections. Community-acquired injection can easily lead to severe purulent inflammation (abscess). Whatever the condition of the child, always seek medical attention first. Only with the approval and permission of the doctor can mom or dad inject themselves.
Nevertheless, modern parents must know how to give an injection intramuscularly to a child.
Preparation: clean and calm
First of all, remember sterility, perfect cleanliness. Also, the success of manipulation largely depends on the emotional background and complete peace of mind. In no case do the procedure for preparing a syringe in front of a child!
Place the syringe, ampoule, cotton wool and a bottle of alcohol on a clean table, after laying a new napkin (an ordinary paper one will do). Wash your hands thoroughly, dry (it is better just in the air or with a new clean towel), even at home it is better to use medical gloves, since children need to be given injections in the strictest cleanliness. Open the package with the syringe, put on the needle (without removing the protective case from it), put the syringe in the package and put it back on the table. The ampoule must be carefully filed and broken, after which, having removed the case from the needle, collect the medicine into the syringe. Place the syringe with the needle vertically upward and gently gently press the piston to remove all air. Do not forget to make a cotton swab with alcohol.
Distract the child with a game
Many experienced parents will say: “We inject children during the game.” Indeed, home injections can be turned into a "hospital for animals" by inviting the baby to inject his own toys (of course, not with a real needle). Distract the baby, come up with an incentive for patience. And most importantly - do not scare children with injections, this pre-sets them to fear and cry.
No panic! Make an injection
The buttock should be mentally divided into four equal squares: the injection must be done in the upper outer. This is extremely important, since if the needle enters the internal areas, the sciatic nerve can be easily damaged . Wipe the marked spot several times with alcohol. In one quick and confident motion, enter the needle. Slow piercing is extremely painful. Then, slowly, slowly, enter the medicine. Usually, near the end of the administration, the pain intensifies, as the medicine stretches the muscles. Unfortunately, many medicines (especially antibiotics) are extremely painful in themselves. At the end, squeeze the injection site with alcoholized cotton and quickly remove the needle. Leave cotton for 1-2 minutes. You can gently massage the injection site or apply a heating pad (after putting on your underwear). If severe swelling and redness appear at the injection site, and the child complains of severe constant pain, you should consult a doctor.
If you are in doubt about how to give the injections to children correctly and safely, contact your healthcare provider for help.