Needle Fear Support
Helping Children Feel Safer
During Shots and Blood Draws
Many children—and even teenagers—feel anxious about needles. For some, the fear is mild. For others, it can be overwhelming and may lead to tears, panic, or avoidance of important medical care.
At Stellar Pediatrics, we believe children with needle anxiety deserve patience, understanding, and a thoughtful approach. Our team has extensive experience helping children successfully get through vaccines and blood draws while feeling supported and respected.
How Our Approach Is Different
In many offices or laboratories, vaccines and blood draws are quick procedures. At Stellar Pediatrics, we recognize that for children with needle anxiety, this can be a significant challenge. We take extra steps to create a more supportive experience.
Our care focuses on:
Individualized Preparation
We take time to understand each child’s fears and past experiences. Every child is different, and our approach adapts to their comfort level.
Behavioral-Based Techniques
Using proven behavioral strategies, we guide children through the process step-by-step. These methods help reduce anxiety and allow children to participate in the planning and process.
Comfort Measures to Reduce Pain
We use tools designed to make vaccines and blood draws more comfortable, including:
Numbing cream, which can be applied before the procedure to reduce the sensation of the needle
ShotBlocker® devices, which help block pain signals and lessen the feeling of the injection
Gentle technique and careful positioning to improve comfort
These options can significantly reduce discomfort and help children feel more confident about the experience.
A Calm, Supportive Environment
We work closely with families to create a calm atmosphere that helps children feel safe. This may include:
Coaching children through what to expect
Allowing time for questions and reassurance
Using distraction and coping strategies
Encouraging a sense of control for the child
Experience With High-Anxiety Situations
Our team regularly helps children who:
Have had difficult experiences with shots or blood draws in the past
Feel intense anxiety about needles
Avoid medical care because of needle fear
Need extra time and support to complete vaccines or lab work
What Makes Our Needle
Anxiety Program Unique
Families often come to us after difficult experiences at other offices or laboratories. Our program is designed specifically to support children who need extra care, patience, and understanding.
What makes our approach different includes:
Extensive Experience
With over 16 years of experience working with needle-anxious patients, our nursing team has helped many children successfully complete vaccines and blood draws—even after previous difficult experiences.
A Team-Based Approach
Our physicians and nursing staff work closely together to create a plan that supports each child. This collaborative approach helps children feel safe and supported throughout the visit.
Pediatric-Focused Comfort Tools
We use several tools to make the experience easier for children, including:
Numbing cream to reduce needle sensation
ShotBlocker® devices to lessen injection discomfort
Gentle, child-focused techniques that prioritize comfort
Therapy Dog Support
Our pups help create a warm and calming environment for children who are feeling nervous. Ally especially loves helping comfort kids who are scared of needles. Sometimes having a friendly dog nearby to pet or focus on can help children relax and feel more at ease during their visit.
A Slower, More Supportive Approach
Unlike busy labs or clinics that may feel rushed, we take the time needed to help children succeed.
Our Goal: Success Without Trauma
With patience, experience, and the right approach, most children are able to complete their shots or blood draws successfully—and often leave feeling proud of themselves.
Just as importantly, we aim to help children build confidence for future medical visits.
How Our Vaccine Process Works
Getting started is simple:
Contact our office to schedule a visit to discuss a plan for your child's success. At that initial planning visit we will schedule the vaccine appointment.
We will confirm needed vaccines by checking ImmPact*
Our team will perform the vaccines using our child-focused approach and comfort techniques.
Your child's vaccines will be updated in ImmPact so the primary care provider and school nurse can access their most current immunization records.
This allows families to complete necessary vaccinations in a calmer and more supportive setting
* ImmPact (the Maine Immunization Information System) is a statewide immunization information system that stores electronic immunization records
How Our Lab Draw Service Works
Getting started is simple:
Contact our office to schedule a visit to discuss a plan for your child's success. At that initial visit we will schedule the lab draw appointment.
Send us the lab order from your child’s provider. This can be from your pediatrician or another referring provider.
Our team will perform the blood draw using our child-focused approach and comfort techniques.
The sample is then sent to NorDx Laboratory for processing.NorDx will bill your insurance directly and send the test results back to the ordering provider.
This allows families to complete necessary lab work in a calmer and more supportive setting while still ensuring results go directly to the ordering provider.
Working Together With Families
Parents and caregivers play an important role in helping children succeed. We work closely with families to:
Prepare children ahead of time
Use supportive language around medical procedures
Reinforce coping skills and bravery
Together, we can help children manage their fear and ensure they receive the care they need.
Pricing:
Pricing for our immunization or lab draw services is $50 which includes the initial planning visit and the appointment to complete the labs or vaccines.
There is no additional charge for supplies used or vaccines administered.Patients who enroll in the practice within 30 days of their visit will have the fee credited to their first month's membership.
*The fee associated is for the visit with the provider for vaccine services, not for the administration of the vaccine.
Need Help With a Needle-Fear Visit?
If your child struggles with shots or blood draws, our team is here to help.
Contact Stellar Pediatrics to learn more about scheduling a visit focused on helping your child have a successful and low-stress experience.