A spoonful of sugar solution given to babies during immunisation may reduces pain by triggering the release of pain-relieving chemicals in the body or by contacting taste receptors that induce feelings of comfort.
The lead researcher Dr Manal Kassab of the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irib, Jordan, said: "Giving babies something sweet to taste before injections may stop them from crying for as long.Although we can’t confidently say that sugary solutions reduce needle pain, these results do look promising.”
Immunisations cannot be ignored because when the baby is 18 months old it must have had around 15 different injections to protect against various infectious diseases, including measles, mumps and rubella.Though the pain during immunisation is not avoidable , researchers have now recommended a new simple technique to comfort babies during immunisations.
A new research study states that "Babies given a sugar solution two minutes before immunisation cried far less than those given plain water".
So parents can lessen the sting of an injection using this sweet technique and can soothe their babies during immunisations.
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Vaccination |
Dr. Harvey Karp, a pediatrician, in the book “The Happiest Baby on the Block,”mentioned five measures known as the five S’s to soothe baby during immunisations.
*wrapping the baby snugly in a light blanket,
*putting the baby in a side or stomach position in the guardian’s arms,
*gently swaying,
*having the baby suck on a pacifier,
*and making a shushing sound in the child’s ear.
Together, these steps calm the baby by mimicking the sensations of being in the womb, according to Dr. Karp, and can be used more broadly by parents to ease a fussy or colicky baby.
