Beatrice Gets a Blood Test

Hi. I'm Beatrice. People call me Bea.

Here I am with my dad. Lately, we've had to go to the doctor's office a few times. That's because I needed to have some blood tests.

My dad told me that when doctors test blood, they can learn all kinds of things about how a kid's body is working.

At first, I was a little worried about having blood tests. But now that I know what happens, I don't worry about them anymore.

I learned that there is blood moving around my body all the time. It moves through little tubes called veins. I have veins everywhere!

When I look at my skin very close, I can see the veins inside my body. They look like squiggly blue lines.

Having a blood test means I have to have a poke with a small needle. So before I have a blood test, I make a plan with my dad for how I can stay calm and still during the test.

I like to sit on my dad's lap and hold one of my stuffed animals. Sometimes we listen to music, sing a song, or read a book.

Last time, we took bubbles with us to blow during the test!

At the doctor's office, a nurse takes us back to a special blood test chair. It has funny arm rests that help you keep your arm in a good spot for the test.

I sit in the chair with my dad. Then the nurse puts a stretchy band around my arm. It gives my arm a squeezy hug. That helps my veins stand up tall so they are easier to find.

The nurse uses her eyes and fingers to find the best vein. Then she cleans that part of my arm with a wipe.

It's my job to stay very still for the whole test. So I ask the nurse to count "1, 2, 3" and then do the poke. That way, I feel ready for when it's coming.

When the nurse starts counting I take a really big breath. When she says "3," I blow all my air out. While I'm blowing my air out, the nurse puts a small needle into my vein. It feels kind of like a pinch.

Last time, when we brought bubbles, my dad was ready with the wand. He held it up to my mouth right when I blew my air out. Bubbles went everywhere!

After the pinch is over, I like to watch what the nurse is doing.

The needle in my vein is connected to a skinny little jar with a rubber cap on it. That's where the blood goes. Sometimes the nurse fills up one little jar, and sometimes she fills up more.

At first I thought that seemed like a lot of blood. But then I learned that I have lots of blood in my body. Plus, my body is making new blood all the time! So really, it's not very much at all.

When it's time, the nurse takes the stretchy band off my arm. Then when she has all the blood she needs, she takes the needle out. It makes a click sound, and that's when I know the test is all done.

The nurse holds a cotton ball on my arm for a little bit. Then she puts a sticky bandage on it and I'm all finished.

I don't know when I will need another blood test. But I know that I get braver each time. That makes me feel strong. It makes me feel proud of myself too.

That's Bea's story. Now that you know what happens during a blood test, is there anything you're still wondering about? Is there a toy or a special book you want to take with you? What do you think will help you stay calm and still during the test?