About Amy Baxter, MD

Dr. Amy Baxter is a pediatric emergency medicine physician and the inventor of pain relievers Buzzy® and Bee-Stractors DistrACTION™ cards. After graduating from Yale University and Emory Medical School, she completed Pediatrics Residency and a Child Abuse Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s and Pediatric Emergency Medicine training at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Virginia. As a pain management researcher and advocate, when the oldest of her three children met a “needle wielding fiend”, she invented a device that blocks needle pain. She is the director of Emergency Research for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Associates at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Scottish Rite, and a Clinical Associate Professor at Medical College of Georgia. Buzzy - Dr Baxter's innovative solution to blocking needle pain for kids - was a feature story in Pediatric Safety in July of 2011.

Website: http://www.buzzy4shots.com/

Articles by Amy

BUZZY – Because We ALL Need Shots That Don’t Hurt!

BUZZY – Because We ALL Need Shots That Don’t Hurt!

As a pediatrician, I strongly support vaccination. I never thought shots were a big deal; parents and staff even chuckle sometimes when a kid is freaking out about shots. You know, ‘deal with it’. I have taken care of children who died from vaccine-preventable diseases, and I used to think that any delay in shots endangers all society. Then I had my own kids, and witnessed firsthand that while... 

DistrACTION Cards: Because Kids Already Know Shots Hurt

DistrACTION Cards: Because Kids Already Know Shots Hurt

As a pediatrician, I have a confession to make. I’m ashamed to admit that in residency I was amused when kids ramped up the drama getting shots. I’m not talking about a sadistic pleasure watching a 4 year old get poked repeatedly, I’m talking about an artistic appreciation of the wailing, screaming, and ninja-like thrashing performance when the nurse brought in the tray and….cleaned the... 

Buzzy – Because Kids Need Shots That Don’t Hurt

Buzzy – Because Kids Need Shots That Don’t Hurt

As a pediatrician, I strongly support vaccination. I never thought shots were a big deal; parents and staff even chuckle sometimes when a kid is freaking out about shots. You know, ‘deal with it’. I have taken care of children who died from vaccine-preventable diseases, and I used to think that any delay in shots endangers all society. Then I had my own kids, and witnessed firsthand that while... 

We’re Teaching Kids to Fear Shots: a Pediatrician’s Perspective

We’re Teaching Kids to Fear Shots: a Pediatrician’s Perspective

Editor’s Note: As the events in West Africa show, infectious disease epidemics devastate communities, spread fear, and create civil unrest. Vaccinations – when available – protect our children and society. However, as Dr. Amy Baxter explains in this post and accompanying TEDx Talk video, our vaccination approach is creating the unintended consequence of widespread needle fear in children.... 

We’re Teaching Kids to Fear Shots: a Pediatrician’s Perspective

We’re Teaching Kids to Fear Shots: a Pediatrician’s Perspective

“How do you respond when the place that you trust to keep you healthy hurts you…or ignores your plan…or ignores you?” …”We have had an erosion of empathy in medicine. Somehow we’ve decided to ignore the fact that shots…hurt.” …TEDx Talks 11/2013 As flu season hits, there is a segment of our society that won’t be protected this year –... 

Resetting Needle Phobia for Kids Who Get “Home Shots”

Resetting Needle Phobia for Kids Who Get “Home Shots”

A recent post on an arthritis blog I belong to discussed a common problem, out of control needle fear. In many cases, it has grown so out of control that home shots are going to be transferred to the hospital, or effective IM medications are going to be swapped for less effective oral ones. If you’re on this path, here is a way to try to address the issue for children age 4 – 10: try a...