Buzzy Bees.
- Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
Buzzy Bees.
- Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
Taking the sting out of immunisations.
Recently, we had the pleasure of visiting the Maddington Child Health Centre, where we met Kyla (5) and her dad, Kyle, as well as Kiarri (3) and her dad, Ricki. They were about to receive their routine immunisations, with a little extra help from the innovative, PCHF-funded, ‘Buzzy Bee’ device.
These small, vibrating bees, equipped with ice-pack wings, are designed to block sharp pain and distract kids during their immunisations. This creative approach is being rolled out across Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) Community Health Clinics, transforming what can often be a daunting experience into something less stressful – and even a bit fun!
During our visit, Andrea, a clinical nurse from the Child and Adolescent Health Service and AHS Aboriginal Health team, demonstrated how the devices are making immunisations more comfortable for kids.
Andrea explained, “Community health is about keeping children well and out of hospital. Having innovative tools like Buzzy Bees that help reduce the pain of injections has been really helpful. By placing it on the arm, between the injection site and the brain, it helps to block nerve signals, so the child hopefully doesn’t feel the needle as much.”
Kyla’s dad, Kyle, from Gnaarla Karla Boodja, Wilman Country, shared his thoughts on the importance of immunisation, saying, “Getting your jabs can be a traumatic experience. The Buzzy Bee is more of a soothing and approachable way of delivering the immunisations.
“Immunisation protects Kyla, protects our community, and protects our elders. In our community, we’re often around elders who are immunocompromised. So, if our kids are safe and immunised, it protects them – and our community as well.”
By enhancing the immunisation experience and boosting vaccination rates, we can not only help more kids feel more at ease, but also contribute to higher vaccination rates in the WA community. This, in turn, helps to protect more Aboriginal families across our state from serious illnesses like whooping cough and influenza.
Thanks to PCHF and generous support from the Telethon 7 Trust, initiatives like the Buzzy Bee are making a real difference in the lives of kids and families throughout WA. Together, we’re taking the sting out of immunisations and working towards creating a happier, healthier community for everyone.
