Pain when injecting question

[grainger]

Hey all,

A friend of mine works at an autistic school as a senior practitioner and has a child who is severely autistic and type 1 diabetic. She said that occasionally the child has told her that his injection stings and so she wanted to know if I knew of any ways to help prevent it stinging. He is on twice daily injections and doesn't like his injections anyway so it can sometimes be a bit of a battle for her and her team unfortunately (can only imagine how awful it must be for the child who cannot always communicate how he is feeling etc.)

This isn't something I really experience or experience to the point where I've ever tried to prevent it so I said I'd ask on here and just see if anyone had any thoughts etc?

Thanks 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Hmm...I wonder if he is on lantus, as this can sting sometimes due to its acidic composition. If it's that and not the actual needle going in that is stinging then I'm not sure what to suggest other than changing to levemir which may be impractical. If it's the needle, then perhaps rubbing an ice cube on the injection site for a few seconds first might numb it a bit?

 

[trophywench]

If either the needle or the site is wet, even with a bead of insulin from the airshot, it can hurt.

The other thing is all my D life I've always had trouble with a certain make of needles hurting me. It's ridiculous really since they are by far the most popular in use for all injection pens and the disposable syringes .......

The only thing I can put it down to, is maybe the lubrication they use on them is different to other manufacturers? No idea why!

Has she spoken to his mother, does he always whinge or only when they do them?

And presumably they aren't too long or too short, and they do rotate his sites?

 

[Caroline]

children with autism experience pain diffeently to other children as well. I can't offer much advice as I don't inject, but if it is a struggle getting him to have the injection that will contribute tot he pain

If your friend doesn't already know about it the web site www.nas.org.uk might help.

 

[Copepod]

What the child with autism says is completely correct - sometime insulin injections do hurt more than others. Although there are some things that help eg correct needle length, injection technique (fast jab in, slow depress of plunger), comfortable pH of injection liquid etc, sometime you just hit a nerve and it hurts. Which is frustrating when neurotypical, but even tougher to deal with when you have austism.

Just one other suggestion, which might or might not be appropriate - if the child can tolerate cold, apply an icecube to the injection site for a few seconds to numb site, before injecting.

 

[grainger]

Thanks all, I will pass the idea's on.

I know that they do all his injections as he is a boarder at the school. He's also on the 4mm needles but I'm not sure what type of insulin. His levels are good though so I don't imagine they would consider changing types at the moment.

I will also pass that website address on.

Thanks again 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Aaaah - Lantus definitely stings for a lot of people Grainger - so is it random or just one insulin?

 

[Tina63]

Yes my boy says the Lantus stings but he doesn't have an issue with any of the other types.

 

[bex123]

worth noting as well that most children with autism have some kind of sensory processing disorder along with it, and they can feel things very differently to how we feel things ( my son has autism and sensory processing disorder ). but yes injections can sting randomly , after injecting for 20 years i learnt there is no reason really for it. some do some don't , but with possible sensory issues a light touch can feel like a punch so possible a slight scratch feels like pain and burning... either way though he is right. i know its not recommended anymore but to avoid the 'stinging' ones i would grab a piece of flesh before injecting