Book about Allergy Shots for Kids

Book About Allergy Shots for Kids 

I have a new project in the works that I am super excited about! I am writing and illustrating a book for kids about allergy shots!  My daughter was terrified when we first started talking to her about allergy shots. She told us that she would never agree to them! She was afraid of the shots, and a lot of the fear about allergy shots came from not knowing what to expect. I found that by explaining all of the benefits of the allergy shots, and walking her through the process, that she was better able to accept it, and felt prepared, and in control of the situation. She is now doing very well with them! 

In researching ways to help her understand the process, and overcome her fears, I searched for a book for kids about allergy shots, and could not find one. So, I decided to write one! Telling my daughter the story, and explaining allergy shots to her in simplified terms helped her so much that I was inspired to create a book to share with you! I hope that it will help ease your child's fears, and provide an understanding of why allergy shots are important and beneficial. 

Here are a few sketches from the book. I will be posting as I go to keep me on task as this will be my first book, and any opinions, tips, or comments from your or your kids about what you/they would like to see included are welcome! 

 

Sketch for introducing the character:



Initial sketch of the main character Elliott:

Added color!

 

Checking the Skin Prick Test:

 

 

 

 

 

Little sister thinks this is great fun!

Hanging out with friends in the springtime:

 

 

Sketch for the allergy testing:

 

Up all night with seasonal allergies:

Sketch for the shot:

 

It's not so bad!

 

 

Sketch for the 20-30 min after shots wait in the office:

 

 adding color

 

 

Allergy Shots and the Mysterious Reaction that Wasn't

The mysterious reaction that could have brought the immunotherapy to an end.

The first of my daughter's allergy shots went off without a hitch. She loves her Shot Blocker, and uses the Buzzy Bee on the opposite arm for distraction.  She sits on the table with the shot blocker pinched on one arm so that she does not feel the needle, a lollypop in her mouth to ease the pain, and the Buzzy Bee on the other arm to look at and distract her so that she does not think about the shot, or look at the needle. Sigh, whatever it takes! I would do magic tricks, or stand on my head to distract her if I could!


The Reaction: After the third set of shots she ended up with a large red rash that appeared on the same arm. I wondered if it was eczema, and if so, was it from the shots? Her next set of shots was three days later as we were doing the shots twice a week. The nurse was concerned, but because my daughter has eczema flare ups, we thought it may be a coincidence.  After the next set of shots our concern turned into something more. That night she was covered head to toe in what looked like a bright red severe eczema flare up.

I notified her allergist right away who was very surprised as she is on a very low dose shot, and he told us the bad news: We may have to stop the allergy shots. I was so upset as we had spent a year considering them, researching them, and had spent months convincing our daughter (who is terrified of needles) to go through with them. She was doing so well, barely flinching with the shots, and was excited to see if they would help her.

Little brother saves the day! 

The rash that we all assumed was eczema, as it looked just like it, took five days to go away. We decided to give the shots one more go, and then terminate the immunotherapy if there was a further reaction.  I was up all night worrying about what we would do if immunotherapy was no longer an option.

Surprisingly, the day before the next allergy shot, her little brother gave us the answer to the mystery reaction, and we were able to go ahead with the shots with no fear! The allergist was very relieved, and amused! My son solved the mystery by developing a bright red rash, an exact replica of his sister's rash, from head to toe. I took him in to the doctor, and he was diagnosed with Fifth's Disease. A virus that caused him to have a runny nose, and then at the end of it, after he was contagious, a bright red rash that covered his body. I was ecstatic! I have never been happy before about my children being sick, of course, but this meant that my daughter most likely also had Fifth's Disease, and not a reaction to her allergy shots!


We were not 100% sure, so we proceeded with caution. We waited a good ten days, and then started the shots once more. No reaction! We were all so happy, and relieved. We are now back on track with the allergy shots, and on the up hill climb to better health! There may be some reactions along the way, but not this time!

Allergy Shots for Kids with Environmental Allergies, and Asthma

We are going to start allergy shots in a couple of weeks for my daughter. After much research we are going for the traditional allergy shots for her seasonal pollen allergies, dustmite allergy, and pet allergies. We hope that they will help her daily hay fever symptoms, asthma, slow down her development of new allergies, and lessen her fruit and veggie oral allergy/ food pollen syndrome.

Because of the severity of her allergies, she will have 4 extra months added on to the 4-5 months of weekly shots as they will be diluted even more than usual, and building up slowly to her maintenance dose.

I am on a search for any books or websites geared towards kids to help them cope with the fear, and pain of the shots.

So far, I have found zero books for kids... But I was pointed to Buzzy, a frozen buzzing bee! It looks cute, and we will give it a try. And Shot Blocker, which looks super simple, and inexpensive. We will try that out as well. Also recommended was EMLA numbing cream, and hydrocortisone anti itch cream.

I was also told there are studies showing that eating something sweet, and keeping warm can help ease the pain... We will give that a go as well.

http://buzzy4shots.com/what-is-buzzy/

Maybe this buzzing bee can help? Any experiences using this that you can share?

Shot Blocker was recommended by an allergist that I admire:
http://www.buyshotblocker.com/

So far our arsenal of products for combating the fear discomfort, and pain include:

Buzzy 

Shot Blocker

EMLA cream- numbing cream

Hydrocortisone- anti itch cream

Lollipops

Warm clothing



I will continue to search for products, and books etc. to help her cope! Please share any tips, or resources that you may have!