Pediatric Syringe Cover

Product Design

A simple attachment to syringes that assists children and/or young adults who have a strong fear of needles/syringes. A colorful distracting cover that hides the needle while patient is being injected as well as while the syringe is in the room.

Duration: 3 week long project (2023)

Role: Designer

Design Goals

01

Give children sense of comfort when receiving medical administered shot, so that they don't avoid getting vaccines.

02

Find a way to hide the syringe needle with a playful design, from view of patient when syringe is prepared in room and/or being administered.

03

Find an environment safe material.

Meet Laura

Seven year old Laura is at the doctors for her flu shot. Terrified of needles Laura brings her stuffed bear for comfort, however even with her bear she is still frightened of the long sharp needle in front of her.

Problem

The CDC states two in three children have strong fears around needles.

Case Study 1

Abstract from a case study written by the "National Library of Medicine" : The Role of Needle Fear in Pediatric Flu Vaccine Hesitancy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Bologna Metropolitan Area by ER De Gioia · 2022
"Background: vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza and reduce its complications."

"Methods: 169 parents/guardians of children who were joining the COVID-19 pediatric vaccination session in Bologna were interviewed."

"Almost 72.2% of parents declared that they wood not have their children vaccinated against influenza. Thus, 40.2% of them changed their opinion after being informed about the existence of a non-injective vaccine. Needle fear in children turned out to be a determinant of this opinion change" "Conclusions: the study has confirmed that needle fear is a determinant of vaccine hesitancy and that a different method of administration may increase parents' /guardians' adherence."

Case Study 2

Case Study written by "Health News by NPR": Fear Of Needles May Chip Away At Vaccination Rates: By Tara Haelle December 28, 2017
"People who are afraid of needles are less likely to get vaccines, less likely to fully vaccinate their kids, less likely to give blood and less likely to get a flu shot," says Dr. Amy Baxter, lead study author and clinical associate professor at Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Her study found that teens were more likely to fear needles if they had received multiple vaccine injections at a single well-child visit when they were 4 to 6 years old."

"Baxter's study is small, limited to a single private practice in Atlanta, though some past research has also highlighted the prevalence and potential consequences of needle fears. A study of more than 800 parents and 1,000 children in 2012, for example, found that nearly a quarter (24 percent) of the parents and well over half the children (63 percent) feared needles. Further, 7 percent of the parents and 8 percent of the children cited fear of needles as their primary reason for not getting recommended vaccines."

"Research does show, however, that needle phobia has more than tripled over the past 30 years. During that same period, the number of CDC-recommended vaccine doses also tripled, protecting today's children against twice as many diseases as those born in the 1970s and 1980s."

Sustainable Option

Reasons bamboo is a good alternative to plastic:

Bamboo is a highly renewable source of bio-mass energy
Fastest growing plant globally
No fertilizer required, and self-regenerates from its own roots
Durable
Long Lasting

Patient or doctor chooses a design (ex. rocket ship)
The rocket ship is then attached to the yellow capsule
Finally, on the opposite side, the capsule clicks/attaches to the syringe allowing the needle to be hidden from view of patient, however, still in view for the administer- the attachment allows movement of the syringe so that when injected the yellow capsule slides up to not press into patients skin

Task Analysis

Pamphlet

Final Renderings

Updated Design

2025

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