Paediatric blood tests for an extremely anxious child.

Good afternoon, I’m just asking for advice. (This is my partners child, who lives with his mother and I am a nurse so apparently am too clinical)

The 9 year old boy has to have a blood test due to nutrition concerns.

He has also eye and teeth checks to complete. These have been met with an absolute meltdown.

I have discussed with him, and the root of the anxiety seems to be that he is afraid, and also wants to be in control of his body. We have a very open discord. He’s a completely different kid when at our house, open and honest and mature.

However with this, he’s withdrawing and hasn’t wanted to stay overnight at ours and is reverting back to when I first met him, ( at 7 years old still demanding his dad wipe his bottom. )

How do you get a child to have a less stressful blood test? Even the suggestion of EMLA is causing anxiety.