Immunotherapy is a type of allergy treatment that involves a doctor figuring out all of the different things that a person is allergic to. Once he or she knows what the patient is allergic to, he or she can inject small amounts of the allergens into the patient's arm over the course of several weeks. This will allow a person to gradually build up an immunity to the allergen and make it less likely to affect him or her. Adults are able to deal with these frequent shots easily, but kids can find it scary. Here are some tips for helping your children undergo immunotherapy.

1. Show Your Kids the Needle Ahead of Time

The first thing that you can do is show your kids the needle ahead of time. This is helpful because it allows your children to see how small the needle truly is and therefore feel less scared of it. Doctors can also show your kids how fast it is going to be.

2. Bring Distractions

Ask your child what his or her favorite book is. Get it out a minute or two before the doctor is going to give your child the shot. If it has pictures, show your child the pictures while you are reading it. Read the book for a minute or two and then have the doctor sneak in to give your child the shot while you are still reading the book. This will help keep your kid distracted and less likely to protest the shot. Reinforce the behavior of allowing the doctor to give him or her a shot by giving your child some small token, such as a sticker or a few pieces of candy.

3. Talk About What Your Child Will Be Able to Do When the Treatment Starts Working

Finally, be sure that you talk to your child about how much easier it will be for him or her once the treatment starts working. He or she will be able to play outside more, go over friends' houses, and generally be able to do more things. This can help you show your child that the shots are going to be worth it in the long run. This tactic tends to work better on older kids who understand delayed gratification.

For more information, talk to a doctor that specializes in helping children overcome their allergies (like those at Ear Nose & Throat Specialties PC) through immunotherapy and other methods.