Is your child afraid of getting the COVID-19 vaccine? These books might help

The dread before getting a jab is a feeling some children know too well.

And now that children age five to 11 are getting immunized for COVID-19, it's a fear some of them will soon have to face. So how can parents help them prepare?

The P.E.I. Public Library recently shared on social media a list of books that could help ease some of the anxieties children may have ahead of getting the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.

"We thought that this may be something that people may be talking about at home, but may not realize how many resources are at the public library that they could access that may, kind of, help start those conversations at home with their kids," children's librarian Roseanne Gauthier said.

"When it comes to something like fear of needles, not talking about the situation and not preparing for something like a vaccine appointment, it's actually worse than some kind of gentle preparation and some gentle discussion, no matter how old the kids are."

Gauthier said books are a great way for parents to start talking to their children about a subject that is a source of anxiety for even adults.

According to a 2019 study, about 60 per cent of children have some fear of needles, and so do 20 to 30 per cent of adults.

The library recommended 11 books in English and French.

• The Polio Pioneer: Dr. Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine by Linda Elovitz Marshall.
• Tomorrow I'll be Brave by Jessica Hische.
• Why Do I Feel Scared?: A First Look at Being Brave by Pat Thomas.
• The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright.
• Be a Virus Warrior: A Kid's Guide to Keeping Safe by Eloise Macgregor.
• The Anxiety Survival Guide for Teens by Jennifer Shannon.
• A Shot in the Arm! by Don Brown.
• Baby Medical School: Vaccines by Cara Florance and Jon Florance.
• Le carnet de Julie - Garder son calme by Julia Gagnon.
• Les Émotions de Petit Chat anxieux by Audrey Bouquet.
• Les Petits Héros by Stacy McAnulty.

Gauthier said some of the books cover topics such as how vaccines work, why you get vaccinated, how to be brave and stay calm.

"We also have books that are kind of silly distractions that we could recommend for that moment when maybe somebody is sitting in a waiting room and need something else to think about," she said.

All of the recommendations have been checked out, but Gauthier said the list just represents the "tip of the iceberg" as to the resources available on the Island.

"If someone were to come into a library or to send us a message on social media or, you know, get in touch with us any other way, we would have lots more titles," she said.

As for favourites, Gauthier said the graphic novel A Shot in the Arm! by Don Brown does a good job of explaining to older children the history of vaccines.

"It's new enough that it actually explains the development of the COVID vaccine," she said. "That would definitely be for kids who are a little bit older and who may want to more about what's going on and why they're getting a vaccine right now."

And for the youngest in the house, Gauthier recommends The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright, a picture book that tells the story of a mouse that's scared of everything and wants to learn how to be brave from the lion.

"The book just has a wonderful message about looking inside yourself and finding the courage to face a hard situation, but it's also a cheerful and funny book as well ... and you're never too old for a picture book to make you feel better," she said.