Social story topics
Social story: Having a blood test
A blood test asks a child to sit still, let a stranger tie a band tight around their arm, and accept a sharp scratch while looking away. It is quick, but the waiting and the not knowing make it enormous. For autistic and neurodivergent children, honest preparation is the difference between a hard minute and a lost morning.
This story tells the truth about each step, including that the scratch hurts for a moment and then stops, and gives the child a job: squeeze a hand, count, look at a picture. Read it several times beforehand and bring it along so the collector can follow the same words.
A sample story
My Blood Test Today
- 1Today I go to a clinic for a blood test.
- 2The nurse uses a small needle to take a little bit of blood from my arm.
- 3The nurse knows the blood helps the doctor find out if my body is well.
- 4I squeeze my hand into a fist and take a slow breath out.
- 5The blood test is done, and I have a small bandaid on my arm.
A sample made with HandsOnTop. Yours is written for your student.
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Tips for using it
- Tell the truth about the scratch; a surprise hurts more than an expected one.
- Give the child a job during the test, such as squeezing a hand or counting to five.
- Ask for a numbing cream or spray if the clinic offers one, and put it in the story.
Common questions
Should the story say it will hurt?
Yes, briefly and honestly: "It feels like a sharp scratch for a few seconds, then it stops." Children trust stories that turn out to be true.
Can I include numbing cream?
If the clinic uses it, yes. Describe the cream going on and the wait, so the extra step is not a surprise.
What if the first attempt does not work?
Add a page that says sometimes the collector needs to try the other arm, and that this is normal. Preparing for it stops it being the thing that tips the visit over.