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Getting My COVID Vaccine: A Picture Story for Kids

This story follows a young person with a developmental disability and their caregiver as they prepare to get a COVID vaccine. It was created to help make it easier for children to understand what to expect and how they might feel before, during and after the vaccine.

Here's what to do:

  • Read this story with your child or teen to get ready for their COVID vaccine appointment.

  • Talk about what is happening in each picture.

  • Encourage your child or teen to draw their own pictures and talk about their plan for the visit.

  • My doctor said I need to get a COVID shot.

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    The shot helps keep me from getting very sick. My family does other things to stay safe from COVID-19. We wash our hands, keep a safe distance from other people and wear our masks.

    (Draw a picture or write the name of the person who will go with you to get your shot.)

  • We bring our masks when it’s time to get my COVID shot.

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    I go to the place where I get the shot (doctor's office, school, clinic, pharmacy) with an adult I trust. I wear a mask. The other people where I get the shot wear masks too.

    (Draw a picture or describe your favorite mask.)​

  • I have a plan and it helps keep me calm when I get my COVID shot.

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    ​​​​I don’t like shots, but I have a plan. I can do something (hold a stuffed animal, play a game on a tablet, listen to music) to keep calm and help me to not think about the shot.

    (What helps yo​​u stay calm?)​

  • A quick pinch and it’s done.

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    I roll up my sleeve. My arm gets cleaned. It feels cold and wet. I get a shot in my arm. It feels like a quick pinch or poke. Then, I get a bandage and roll down my sleeve. I feel proud and everyone is happy I got my shot! I wait for 15 minutes. Then, I go home.

  • How I will feel after my COVID shot

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    ​At home, my arm is sore. I feel better in a few days. I know I'll need more than one COVID shot, so I'll go back another day. It will be the same as the first time.

    Parents: To help with safety monitoring, the CDC has a tool called v-safe. Use your smartphone to complete health check-ins and report any side effects experienced after getting the COVID vaccine.​

  • My friends and I all got the COVID vaccine.

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    ​​​I want to keep myself and others healthy and safe from COVID-19.

    More information

Last Updated
1/22/2024
Source
American Academy of Pediatrics (Copyright © 2022)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

This document was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 6 NU38OT000282-04-02 funded by the Centers for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support National Partnership Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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