Kids have to go through a lot of vaccinations in Canada and well over half of them learn to hate needles.

With so many kids growing up dreading the pain and stress of immunizations, it’s not surprising that an estimated 10 per cent of the adult population avoids all needle procedures because of fears they probably developed as kids.

That’s not great news when there are still plenty of sporadic outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in Canada, such as measles and mumps.

But immunizations don’t need to be a big ordeal. There are lots of ways to minimize the pain of children’s vaccinations. Here are a few of them that can be used on their own or combined together.

1. Note to parents: Relax

A study out just this month from researchers at York University's OUCH (Opportunities to Understand Childhood Hurt) Lab in Toronto found that a lot of children’s fear of vaccinations come not from the needles, but from their own parents’ behaviour.

Kids naturally pick up on parents’ cues during scary situations, and the researchers found that the way that parents act and speak to their children during vaccinations is a bigger factor than any other on how much distress kids feel during immunizations.

When a parent is agitated, apologetic, or seems to be trying too hard to reassure their child that the needle won’t hurt, it only seems to ramp up the child’s anxiety, which can heighten their perception of pain.

The researchers say it’s okay for parents to feel nervous; it’s just best if they don’t convey that to their children.

Instead, the best approach is for parents is to keep the mood light and easy. They suggest cuddling the child rather than laying him or her flat on an exam table. Take a few deep belly breaths while holding your baby, which will help calm both of you.

And most importantly, don’t tell children the needle won’t hurt. Not only does this do nothing to reduce the pain, it might only make the child distrustful the next time.

2. Use a pain-blocking cream or patch

Creams that dull the pain of the needle entering the skin work really well and should probably be used a lot more often than they are.

The patches and creams are available at any drugstore under brand names such as Emla, Ametop, Maxilene and contain lidocaine or another topical anesthetic to numb the skin.

The problem is that they need to be applied about 20-40 minutes before the vaccination and then wiped off before the injection, so they require a bit of pre-planning.

Ask your doctor about the best time to apply them: either at home or in the waiting room ahead of the doctor’s visit.

3. Try sugar water

This is an old technique used by our grandmothers that still works well today. In fact, many studies have shown that babies given sugar water right before a needle seem to handle the experience much better than those who are given nothing.

All that’s required is mixing a teaspoon of sugar into 2 teaspoons of warm, pre-boiled water. It’s then given to the baby using an eyedropper or by dipping a soother into the water.

The amount of sugar the babies receive is not enough to cause any dental worries, but just enough to keep babies pleased for a few minutes until the vaccination is over.

4. Breastfeed

Breastfeeding is another tried-and-true pain reduction technique.

Not only will breastfeeding distract a baby before and after a vaccination, they get to have skin-to-skin contact with their mothers, soothe themselves with sucking, and enjoy the sweet taste of milk.

Some babies don’t even notice the needle at all if it is given while they are nursing; others stop for a moment but then quickly go back to feeding.

5. Distract

Getting a child to watch a video or do an activity that draws their attention away from the needle can be surprisingly helpful in reducing kids’ distress.

The best kind of distraction is the kind that kids choose themselves. So letting them play with small toys, bubbles, pop-up books, party blowers can all work. So can watching a colourful, distracting video on your phone.

After any needle, doctors say it’s important not to spend too much time dwelling on it. Don’t discuss or ask about the pain, quickly wipe away any tears, and change the subject so the child moves on to something new -- like a sticker from the doctor’s toy drawer.