Going to the doctor to get a blood test was probably one of the worst nightmares you could imagine as a kid: Especially if you had a fear of needles.
You still remember the day your parents first took you to the doctor. As soon as you stepped into the clinic, you could feel a chill run down your spine. And when you laid your eyes on the long, pointed, shining, sharp needle you simply went wild with fear. It took the might of the doctor and both your parents to get a sample of your blood.
You are a grown-up now with a kid who probably shares the same needle phobia (the technical name for which is Trypanophobia).
The roles are reversed as you take your kid to the doctor for a blood test. Your kid, however, need not go through the same trauma and pain that you experienced.
‘Syrinx’ is a modern day syringe, designed by Jesper Nilsson, that will surely reduce the trauma of poking needles, if not eradicate it completely.
The fear reducing formula of the Syrinx lies in its Sphynx-shaped needle: cutely designed things that should distract the attention of your kid as the doctor takes a sample of his/her blood.
The Sphynx-shaped needle comes in three different varieties. One is a golden colored creature with large, innocent eyes (like Puss-in-Boots in Shrek). The second is a dark grey colored creature with flashy yellow eyes and brown ears. The third one resembles a racer with a red streak on its brown body and black shades on its eyes.
Syrinx is just not about its cutesy looks or toy-like design. It is a serious attempt by the designer to eliminate or reduce the fear of needles.
The needles come with an informative and colorful book that will gently educate the child about what’s going to happen. While the child reads the book, the doctor prepares for the blood to be collected. After reading the book (3-4 pages), the child can choose the creature they would like to be injected with. When the needle is being inserted, the child should be more relaxed looking at the toy creature.
After the blood sample is taken, the child can take the creature back home; like taking candy after a visit to the dentist.
Syrinx is aimed at 3-6 year olds (‘older’ kids can use it too) and looks to making the visits to the doctor fun and informative.
If you found this to be interesting, make sure you also take a look at Bioshock EVE Hypo Syringe.
Via: The Padrino