Reducing pain for needle related procedures (1042)
Key points below
Comfort measures are meant to help with pain. These measures may be used when placing an IV,
drawing blood or giving shots. The best methods to help with your child’s pain will be based on your
child’s age, medical history and procedure. Options may include:
- Sucrose. This is sugar water.
It is given to infants less than 6 months old. It is given by mouth 2 minutes before the procedure.
This works well with a pacifier. - PainEase™. A fast acting spray that goes on the skin.
This can be used only if your child is at least 12 months old. It is put on the treatment area
immediately before the procedure. This is available for purchase without a prescription at the
Children’s Hospital outpatient (Skywalk) pharmacy. - LMX™. Local anesthetic cream.
The cream needs to be put on the treatment area 30 to 60 minutes before the procedure. - Buffered Lidocaine via J-Tip™. A needle-free injection system.
It pushes local anesthetic medicine into the skin just before starting an IV.
J-Tip can only be used if your child is at least 6 months old. It is normally used only if there is not
time to use one of the other options.
For more health and wellness information, check out this resource:
https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents
This teaching sheet is meant to help you care for your child. It does not take the place of medical care. Talk with your healthcare provider for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.