As far as my own son and his reactions.. I’ve always been as much to the point as I can be with him, explaining ahead of time exactly what was going to happen, what he could expect and yeah It might hurt for a minute or two, "but your going to get a Lolly Pop afterwards" :)  He never tried to take off the adhesive, when he was younger on the day of bloodwork Id be sure to put him in a long sleeve that could be pulled up high enough for access to a vein, with the sleeve he wouldn’t be able to get under and edge and pick it off, and if it was annoying even rubbing it through the sleeve never took it off.

at 2  1/2 it’s hard to find a way to explain things that will be in a way they will understand and be ok with, When Jacob was younger I’d start the day before and explain to him, Tomorrow we are going to go get some bloodwork done, they are going to wrap a little band around your arm give it a squeeze and then there will be a little prick, it might hurt for a minute, I’ll be right there with you, If you want to cry it’s ok you don’t have to try not too, they are going to get a little bit of blood out of your arm so they can check to make sure your little body is doing everything it needs too. ,, then before it was time to leave, Id get his cream out, this is going to help you so that when they give you that little prick it wont make you hurt as bad, He never really through a fuss over having it on,, he was curious and would watch every little thing I did,  but many times after he had the adhesive wrap over it and could get back to playing he would find a way to use the wrap into what he was doing a little imagination encouragement goes a long way"super hero bands on his arm, or now he could be invisible if he just pushed the bandage, and always after each blood draw, he’d be asking for his lolly pop, sticker, etc.. Id make sure and bring a treat with me just incase the techs were being stingy that day, lol  or id take him to lunch, the park, playground and the whole ordeal would be off his mind and playing again he was content and it didn’t turn out to be a terrible thing. 

Whether I thought he was old enough to understand or not I’ve always talked with him as I would someone who could understand, age appropriate talk of course but he was always told ahead of time everything to expect.. 

And today when I tell him that tomorrow is blood work he reminds me about his cream, wants to know if were visiting his grandma afterwards, "maybe she’ll make up some popcorn" and wants to get there and get it done so he can be rewarded afterwards, and get back to playing.  He talks about wondering if the nurses will give him certain stickers "Buzz light year" or "Scooby"  and he always soaks up the praise I give him for being such a brave little guy.

I think I’ve rambled on far beyond what I had intentions of, If anything has worked for Jacob it’s always been telling him ahead of time, preparing him, and when the nurses try and "shhhhh shhhh don’t cry" I jump in and say "yes you can it’s ok to cry if it hurts, if you feel like crying go ahead"

hope maybe something I’ve rambled on about will help, they surely can be little terrors when they get the notion and lord help anybody who makes them mad! Good luck with your little one and the futures sticks..  poor kido’s, just one more thing they have to deal with.

Have a great weekend :)