LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Now that Kentucky children as young as 5 can get a COVID vaccine, more and more parents have signed their kids up to get the shot. But not every child is thrilled about the idea of that jab.

For some children, just the sight of one of these needles is downright scary. And Dr. Carly Sperzel understands that.

“There are some kids who have no fears at all and they come in and they get their shots, no problems at all. We have other kids that come in and they are quite anxious about it. There’s a lot we can do to try to talk them through it, but we try to help them be as least anxious as possible.” said Dr. Sperzel, a nurse practitioner with Norton Children’s Medical Group.

Dr. Sperzel has worked with the health system for 4 years and sees patients from birth on up to 20-years old. Growing up, she used to work in a pharmacy, then a pediatric office, and fell in love with it and knew that’s what she wanted to do.

That's why she became a nurse practitioner. She’s the first doctor in her family.

“I love seeing all the kids come in and reach all their developmental milestones. It’s an exciting time for parents and kids both and I like to be a part of that.” Dr. Sperzel said.

The Commonwealth and the nation want to vaccinate as many people as possible against the novel coronavirus, as that provides the quickest way out of the pandemic. But, understandably, some kids are very afraid of needles.

“We don’t want them to be anxious about it. We don’t want them to see vaccines as a bad thing. We want them to see that it’s making them healthier and stronger. So, we don’t want them to have that negative concept attached with it.” Dr. Sperzel said.

So, how exactly can you help ease your child’s fears? Dr. Sperzel said there are things parents can do right now to ease children’s fears about needles.

“We tell parents talk to them first. Tell them what’s going to go on. Describe it as a pinch or a poke. Maybe not necessarily use the word ‘shot’. Then let them practice at home with a toy maybe.” Dr. Sperzel said.

You can also let the child know speifically that the day is all about them. Talk to your child about what they will do that day, and what they’ll wear. Dr. Sperzel said they’ve seen a pretty steady stream of people come through their offices to get vaccinated.

“It’s encouraging.” Dr. Sperzel said. “With the holidays coming up, we know that the numbers went up last year around this time, so it’s really encouraging to see patients and parents taking this seriously and getting their children protected.”

The bottom line is: if you have questions, it's best to call your child’s doctor.

“If you have concerns, we have concerns. We are always here for you. We’re part of the process too.” Dr. Sperzel said.

It’s a process that is as important now, as ever.

Editor's Note:  A previous version of this story said Dr. Carly Sperzel works for Norton Children's Heath, when Dr. Sperzel actually works for Norton Children’s Medical Group. We apologize for the error.