by Tricia Brereton (with Selina Spowart)
In December 2021 when Tricia heard vaccinations were going to be available for 5 – 11-year-olds from 10 January, she wanted to get her daughter Reeva vaccinated and phoned the Public Health hotline. She told them about her daughter’s disability and asked about quiet clinics, but they said they didn’t have them at the moment and was advised to phone back in January to see if there were any updates. But she didn’t want to wait and so made a booking as early as possible so Reeva could have her first vaccination before school went back.
Tricia felt her daughter’s needs would not be met in a busy clinic environment, and that she should be accommodated in a quiet environment with experienced staff accustomed to giving vaccines to children with disability. So she emailed the Department of Health and lodged a complaint. She received no response from them, so her next step was to contact the Human Rights Commission to explain the situation.
Within two weeks she had a phone call from Public Health offering her a solution to better fit Reeva’s needs. They asked her to come to the clinic at 9 AM when it would be quiet, and staff more available to help. They offered to apply numbing cream to Reeva’s arm, but as the cream takes an hour to work, Tricia chose to buy her own and put it on Reeva before they left the house. Tricia was able to complete the necessary forms online beforehand, so she was free to concentrate on Reeva’s needs, and she was allowed to bring one of Reeva’s support workers along too. When they arrived, they were shown to a curtained area with a couch. Reeva was offered a BUZZY* bee, but it wasn’t needed, she had her vaccination and the nurses even gave her a balloon.
Tricia was relieved it was a success and has already booked Reeva in for her second dose. Although she could only get a mid-morning appointment, the Public Health hotline staff member who made the booking advised her to go to the clinic at 9 AM as before, and alert the staff when she arrives so they can see Reeva immediately.
Based on her experience, Tricia recommends the following for parents in a similar situation:
– Go early in the morning, go straight to the front of the queue and tell the staff your child needs accommodations to be made due to their disability;
– Use numbing cream, it helps and you can get it from the chemist. Put it on an hour before your child’s vaccination. Wrap cling wrap around your child’s arm once the cream is on;
– Distraction is a good technique, if you can briefly distract your child with a toy or other favourite object, it doesn’t take the nurse long to get it done;
– Ask for a BUZZY bee. State-run Community Vaccination Clinics have these available for children. BUZZY is a small vibrating bee with blue ice-pack wings, he blocks pain and provides distraction when giving needles. https://www.buzzy4shots.com.au/
For more information on how the Tasmanian Government supports people with disability with the vaccination process visit https://bit.ly/36A01H7