Medical Reports: The Vein Game

WSVN -- Six-year-old Brandon Benchetrit is an active boy who loves to play with his older brother and twin sister, so when he didn't have the energy to get out of bed one morning his mom knew something wasn't right.

Sheri Benchetrit: "I came home and he was laying around really larthargic. Couldn't get out of bed, couldn't stand up."

Brandon wound up in the emergency room dangerously dehydrated. He needed fluids fast, but the nurse had trouble finding a vein to start an IV.

Brandon Benchetrit: "They stick the needles in my arm 10 times."

Dr. Peter Antevy: "Children who have dehydration have flatter veins. It's much harder to get an IV on a child who's dehydrated,"

For some kids it means being poked over and over as nurses try to find a vein. A frustrating and painful process for everyone.

Maricar Cabral: "Normally, we would spend 45 minutes to an hour finding an IV on a child who is moderately dehydrated."

But the Vein Game is a thing of the past. At joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital, they're testing a new procedure called Hylenex. A tiny needle is inserted in the back just under the skin eliminating the need to search for a vein.

Dr. Peter Antevy: "It's very quick. Within two minutes you can start a line and get the fluids started."

And because Hylenex is inserted in the back, there's less of a chance a child will pull it out.

Dr. Peter Antevy: "It's away from the child. The child cannot see it, and there's fewer nerve fibers on the back so it hurts a lot less."

Sheri says after using Hylenex on Brandon he did a complete turnaround.

Sheri Benchetrit: "He went from being a dishrag to when they discharged him he was running up and down the halls."

Brandon Benchetrit: "I felt like playing."

Now Brandon is back to being his fun-loving self and even though his mom hopes she never has to bring one of her kids to the ER again, she says she would ask for Hylenex.

Sheri Benchetrit: "If you can prevent your child from having to suffer why not do that?"

Christine Cruz: "Hylenex can be used on infants and so far has shown no side effects."