The researchers from the Pennsylvania State University conducted an experiment involving 100 randomly selected babies aged 2 and 4 months old. The babies were orally given either the sugar water, or a placebo of sterile water, 2 minutes before they received their vaccination.
Parents were also requested to not cuddle or comfort their babies, as the scientists believed that this might affect the pain levels, compromising any possible effects of the sugar water.
The findings showed that the group that received the sugar water showed lower pain scores recorded 5, 7, and 9 minutes after vaccination. HealthDay reported that by the 9th minute, the pain levels were 78.5 percent lower than the ones measured from those who received the placebo.
The babies' facial expressions were also given notice, and how easy it was for the parent to eventually comfort the babies.
Co-author Linda Hatfield, an assistant professor at Penn State, acknowledged the hassle-free and inexpensive administration of the sucrose.
"It could be something that both parent and pediatricians work together in doing," she was quoted by the Canadian Press.
The research was given acknowledgement by Dr. Robert Bortolussi of IWK Health Center, with him calling it "very good, admirable" and in need of pursuit.
"Anything that's going to create an environment where there's less discomfort and pain relating to getting the shots is good, and it'll create more acceptance by the population as well," he said.
He also noted the timeliness of the research, as new vaccines have increased the number of mandatory immunizations for children, compared to before.
"The number of needles they will have in their childhoods is more than it had been in the past," he said.
The study was published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
