Lancets for painless finger blood taking in children

Many children are afraid to donate blood, because in the past they have already undergone this manipulation and remember what kind of pain the standard scarifier caused. However, in our time, the procedure of blood sampling can be carried out without serious consequences if a special disposable lancet is used to take a sample.

The lancet is a special device with a plastic case, with which it draws blood from capillaries in children for a general blood test, as well as for measuring blood sugar. The special design of the device hides the needle, so the child does not see it when taking a blood sample. The needle has a triangular shape, and for its manufacture use medical steel.

Needles for blood sampling in such lancets are advanced either automatically when the body touches the skin, or after pressing an adult's finger on the button.

• Using a lancet does not bring the child painful sensations and does not leave hematomas. The strength and depth of the puncture does not depend on the pressure on the finger of a nurse or parent.
• The instrument is completely sterile and packaged in an airtight container, which is opened immediately before the procedure. Before packing, all lancets are treated with gamma radiation.
• The procedure using the lancet lasts only a few seconds.
• Blood test results will be more reliable. Emotional experiences when piercing a finger with the usual scarifier can affect the performance, so the use of a lancet will help to avoid mistakes. In addition, the blood after the fence is not in contact with air.
• The lancet can be used at home, easily performing a glucose level analysis (using a glucometer).

First of all, the child is not afraid of the injection, because he does not see the needle itself. In addition, the needle is very small, so the painful puncture of the skin is practically absent. The diameter of the needle in lancets for children is 0.25-0.8 mm, and its length - 1.2-1.8 mm. These needles are very tiny and the skin is injured to a minimum.

As a result, the puncture is practically painless and heals very quickly. And these are important factors when choosing a device that takes blood from children younger than a year, as well as from children who are very afraid of injections.

To draw blood with a lancet, you need:

1. Unscrew and remove the protective cap from the scarifier.
2. Tightly attach the case of the device to the child's finger.
3. Gently pressing on the finger, select the right amount of blood.

All lancets used for capillary blood sampling for clinical analysis in childhood are disposable, so after use they must be disposed of. Reuse is not possible, even if you want to do this - as soon as a blood sample is taken, the needle retracts into the body and is immediately blocked. This is done for the sake of patient safety, to eliminate the risk of infection. In addition, the blood collected through the needle is not in contact with the environment, so the result of the analysis will be very accurate.

If we are talking about a blood sugar test performed at home for a child with diabetes, then the lancet will be slightly different. For this purpose, apply a universal device that is inserted into the meter. Due to this, the consumption of needles is reduced.

Like other waste materials that have come into contact with human blood, lancets are classified as Hazard B. Such medical waste must be disinfected before disposal. Lancets can be autoclaved, and after such sterilization they are considered safe garbage, so they can be thrown into any garbage can.

Lancets, which painlessly take a blood sample from children, are represented by such models:

1. Automatic lancets Medlance® Plus from the Polish company HTL-Strefa Inc. They are represented by several types with different body colors - lilac devices are suitable for children (needle penetration depth is 1.5 mm), and blue ones are universal (with a 1.8 mm long needle).

2. Qlance lancets. This Chinese manufacturer offers devices for children with a penetration depth of 1.8 mm. In the purple lancet, the needle diameter is 0.45 mm, and the volume of blood taken is up to 100 μl. In the blue lancet, the needle has a diameter of 0.8 mm. With this device, from 100 to 150 μl of blood is collected.

3. Automatic Lancets MR. These are also Chinese-made devices with a triangular thin tip. For children, lancets are produced with a puncture depth of 1.8 mm - pink and yellow.

4. Vitrex Sterilance Lite II series scarifiers. Children can get blood with orange lancets of this brand, the puncture depth of which is 1.8 mm.

5. PROLANCE Lancets. The company’s product range includes lancets with a puncture depth of 1.4 to 1.8 mm in blue, blue, yellow and green, which also differ in needle diameter.

6. Mini Collect lancets. Purple lancets of such a manufacturer with a puncture depth of 1.25 mm are intended for children.

7. Acti-Lance devices. The needle of the purple lancet of this company pierces the skin of the baby to a depth of 1.5 mm. You can also use the universal blue lancet Acti-Lance with a puncture depth of 1.8 mm.

8. Bd Microtainer Lancets. Lilac devices pierce the skin of a child to a depth of 1.5 mm, and pink ones to a depth of 1.8 mm. In the assortment there are lancets for babies up to a year, which can draw blood from the heel.

Most mothers who have come across for the first time with the use of lancets in private clinics are satisfied with such a device. They note that children really do not cry and do not survive when they take blood from a finger with a lancet. The procedure itself is very fast and the kids tolerate it very well, and there are no traces on the finger.

The lack of lancets for taking blood for a general analysis is called only their absence in many clinics, so mothers should buy these devices on their own. However, they are easily acquired in medical equipment or on the Internet, and are relatively cheap. For example, Qlance or MR lancets cost only 5-6 rubles apiece, and Medlance automatic lancets need to pay 15-20 rubles.