🩺 Sovelo Stories · New experiences
Getting a Blood Test
A quick test that checks how my body is doing. Read it together, at your pace. Every page is written in your child's voice.
1. Today I am getting a blood test. The test tells the doctor how my body is doing inside.
2. A helper called a phlebotomist takes a tiny bit of blood from my arm. My body makes new blood all the time, so it is okay to share a little.
3. First, a soft band goes around my arm. It squeezes, like a tight hug on my arm. Then a cool wipe cleans my skin.
The band feels tight. The wipe feels cold and wet. It might smell sharp for a second.
look away or watch — my choice squeeze a fidget with my other hand hold a grown-up's hand
4. Next comes a small needle. Here is the honest part: it might pinch for a moment, then it is over. Many kids say it is faster than they thought.
The pinch is quick, like a tiny snap. Then it just feels still while the tube fills.
take slow deep breaths count to ten ask "how much longer?" wiggle my toes
5. I can choose. I can look away or watch. I can sit on a chair or on a grown-up's lap. I can ask them to count "1, 2, 3" before they start.
6. It is okay to feel scared or to cry. Crying does not stop the test from working. The helpers see nervous kids every day and they are kind.
What could happen right after the needle? I get a bandage, maybe a fun one. The helper says "all done" and I am surprised it was fast. My arm feels a tiny bit sore for a while. We don't know exactly — we can ask the helper. 💡 A few different things can happen. We can ask to know for sure.
7. When the tube is full, the needle comes out fast. I get a bandage. The test is done. We go home, and I can pick a snack or a rest.
✦ Practice this story interactively — free in the Sovelo app
In the app, your child can choose what happens next, rehearse lines out loud with Spark, and try different endings — including hearing a kind "no" and being celebrated for respecting it. Parents can also create fully personalized stories.
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Sovelo Stories are original social narratives, written for neurodivergent kids and reviewed against strict guardrails: no eye-contact training, no masking, no mind-reading — and "no" is always a complete answer. Evidence-informed preparation, not a treatment. © Ezra Brown.