Nenagh vaccination centre becomes child-friendly zone

Softening the appearance of the sites for young children

Making vaccine jabs for young children in Nenagh as pleasant an experience as possible has resulted in the transformation of the local vaccination centre which is now inhabited by a world of cartoon characters that, it’s hoped, will detract from the fears and anxieties little people may have about the procedure.

There are many videos on social media featuring growing men cry and faint at the thought of an injection, so spare a thought for the 5 to 11-year-olds turning up with their parents for their jabs at the vaccination centre at the Abbey Court Hotel.

But thanks to the artistic talents of the vaccination team, drawings of cute little baby elephants, friendly dogs, sleeping rabbits, colourful fish and giraffes have appeared on the walls of the vaccination cubicles to distract children from the jab itself and to try make the entire experience as pleasant as it can be.

Like other regional centres in Limerick and Ennis, the centre in Nenagh has in recent weeks turned into a child-friendly zone as the vaccination programme reaches the youngest members of the population.

Ahead of the recent start of scheduled appointments for young children, vaccination staff had been tailoring their greetings and interactions towards the younger 5 to 11 year age cohort, and efforts have been made in all three centres to soften the clinical appearance of the sites.

Mid-West Covid Vaccination Centres Operations Manager Nora Barry said: “This effort is aimed at softening the appearance of the sites for young children who may well be quite overwhelmed by the prospect of receiving a vaccination which they will have all heard so much about at home from older siblings, their parents, and on the news.

“The measures are being introduced across all three centres, and we’re deeply appreciative of the efforts of staff who, at a time when they’re also running scheduled and walk-in clinics for primary vaccinations and booster doses for all ages, have worked so hard to make the vaccination experience a positive one for little ones across the region,” she said.

ANXIETIES

One GP, Laura Lenihan, said just like adults struggling to cope with the pandemic, young children also had anxieties around issues such as vaccination.

She said parents intending to bring their children to be vaccinated should prepare them for what is ahead and to do so in a way that was age appropriate.

Dr Lenihan said an 11-year-old will know they are going to receive an injection, but a 5-year-old may not know exactly what lies ahead. She said she was a firm believer in parents being honest and explaining the procedure in language their children understand.

“They need to know that something is coming, but I would not necessarily tell a 5-year-old there’s a needle involved, but knowing that there is a sharp scratch involved and that it is going to go away within a second,” added Dr Lenihan.

Dr Lenihan, who was speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime programme, said things were different for older children such as 11-year-olds who were going to know that they were going to get a needle stuck in their arm but that in general be reassured that the pain was going to go away really quickly.

Despite knowing they were facing an injection, many children in the 9 to 11 year age bracket were themselves choosing to get vaccinated, and parents could frame the procedure in a way that highlights the benefits of protection of the disease for the child themselves and for older vulnerable grandparents or other compromised relatives.

Dr Lenihan said parents could also organise a treat for the children on the day they are scheduled to get their jab and in the days before engage their kids in some role play that could involve helpful videos such as the ‘Daniel Tiger gets a shot’ series.

As for telling children when the jab was due, she felt a day or so before was appropriate for preparing children in the 5 to 7 year-old bracket.

And for older children, who knew they were facing an injection, a longer period so that they were well prepared for what was coming.