8 Ways to Make Shots Easier for Kids

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Ouch!

By Ashlee Davis

Vaccines protect children from dangerous germs. Still, that’s little comfort when it’s time to get the jab. The good news is that there are ways to ease the pain—or fear of pain, which is the bigger problem.

“In reality, shots don’t ‘hurt’ that much,” says Herschel Lessin, MD, pediatrician at the Children’s Medical Group in Poughkeepsie, NY. “It’s the suffering brought on by the phobia of needles that bring on the pain.”

Here are some surprisingly simple strategies that can make your doctor’s visit smooth sailing.

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