ATLANTA (NBC) – A doctor, inspired by her son's fear of needles, sets out to take the sting out of shots.
"When I started this I didn't intend for this to be my life," said Dr. Amy Baxter, an emergency medicine specialist.
"Buzzy" started as a small business in the basement, and then took over the life and career of the mother of three. Her inspiration dates back to 2001 when she took her son, then only four, to the pediatrician for routine shots. Despite all her planning, he was terrified.
"If I was so disempowered that I couldn't even intervene and say hold on a second then what can any parent do," she asked.
With future immunizations in mind, she started brain storming solutions. She came up with a combination of a frozen pack and vibrations to help desensitize the nerves, dulling the pain of a shot.
It also empowers adults with their own medical needs.
"We get letters every week from parents whose kids' lives have changed, from moms who were going to quit breastfeeding, from moms who are pregnant now and were going to give up on IVF," Dr. Baxter said.
"Buzzy" launched in 2009, and Dr. Baxter is nearly up to $1 million in sales.
Click here to learn more about Buzzy's pain-free shot devices.