Taking your child to the pediatrician for annual vaccinations is bad enough, but if your child requires daily injections, fingersticks, and infusion set changes, it can be traumatic over and over again. Thankfully, help is here! When a pediatrician by the name of Amy Baxter, MD, realized that kids were being told to "just deal with it" when it came to shots, she thought there had to be another way and came up with a nifty FDA-compliant device called a Buzzy. 

A Buzzy is a vibrating bee-shaped gadget with detachable ice packs for wings. The device is placed on the skin, then moved slightly away from the injection site before the shot is given. The Buzzy operates on the "gateway" theory of pain control, which posits that nerves become confused when they try to transport two signals at the same time. When the Buzzy is activated, the nerves are so busy transporting the buzzing sensations that they can't send as many pain messages to the brain. (We do this naturally when we rub a spot we've just bruised or pinch an insect bite to stop the itch.)

The Buzzy website also offers a pack of plastic-coated cards called "Flippits!" that fit onto the Buzzy (and have the added advantage of blocking the child's view of the injection site). The cards, which are available in English or Spanish, present counting and finding tasks that can be used to focus the child's attention away from the injection procedure. The parent flips a card toward the child and asks the age-appropriate question on the back. Healthcare professionals can attach the cards to a badge or keychain in order to have them on hand all day long.

The Buzzy is great for children with newly diagnosed diabetes and anyone else who needs routine injections. It also helps with vaccinations, fertility shots, finger pricks, splinter removal, and flu injections.You can learn more about the Buzzy at Dr. Baxter's website, buzzy4shots.com, which contains many pages explaining how the Buzzy works to kids, adults, and healthcare providers. In addition, there is feedback from kids and parents to Dr. Baxter and links to support groups for diabetes, leukemia, brain cancer, and others. My favorite link is to a website that follows "Zippy the (plastic) lobster"-a lobster on a mission to raise money for brain cancer research.

By the way, the inventor of the Buzzy has great respect for adult pain as well. Adults who suffer from needle phobia or just don't feel like "steeling" themselves for another round of injections can also use the Buzzy. The Buzzy's philosophy is that there is no reason for needless pain for anyone.  The Buzzy, which costs approximately $35 and has various accessories available, can be obtained by visiting ww.buzzy4shots.com or calling (877) 805-2899.