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Getting kids to take medicine - 3/8/2010 2:44:44 PM
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thisistheday
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Getting kids to take their medicine has never been an easy thing around here.
My 6yo just got diagnosed with strep, so she has an antibiotic to take.
She finally let me put it in her mouth with a spoon. (With a treat of candy following.)
Any tips for getting her to take the medicine willingly when she decides she doesn't want to do it that way again?
Thanks!
Dee
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/8/2010 3:01:27 PM
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bolt.
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Perhaps she would prefer a syringe, so that you could avoid most of her tongue. You should ask her what she thinks might make her more able to deal with following her prescription. Go ahead with any reasonable request.
But make it clear that this is not optional. That at the time for her dose, she will take it. You need to be committed to that as an authority issue, and simply tell her to open her mouth the same way you would tell her to do anything else that is critical. Your usual consequence structure should be fine, though you might have to take it to your highest level.
What is it you usually do if your child refuses to obey you?
If I had to take my consequence structure to the highest level, that would mean grounding her to her room with all pleasant things removed until she comes out and politely asks for her medicine and candy. If that didn't work, I'd consider using a car seat (in the house) as a location to ground her to... though I've never actually done that.
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/8/2010 6:18:25 PM
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CMT8808
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I agree with everyone one who answered syringe. Best thing going. I would tilt my son and shoot the medicine down and trust me sometime s it is not always easy, depending on the circumstance, but the accuracy rate mouth verses everywhere else is high, lol 
CMT
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/8/2010 9:26:56 PM
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thisistheday
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Thanks for the ideas!
This evening I put the medicine in a cup and she drank it; I convinced her (fairly quickly) that would be easier than the multiple spoons I had to give her earlier today.
I did find a nice size syringe in my cupboard; I'll try that if she resists later. I figured if I had to I could squirt it down her that way. I will probably offer it to her next time as an option.
No worries, I will get this down her one way or another. I do prefer that she be a willing party though.
Now hopefully my 12yo, who doesn't yet swallow pills, doesn't get strep....
Dee
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/8/2010 9:45:04 PM
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PrincessDonna
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A couple of my kids are terrible with medicine. When they have to take a liquid med (they do fine with chewables), they have a freezer pop first...the kind that you buy as liquid and freeze it at home. The cold seems to numb their taste buds. Then they get another freezer pop after the medicine. Works for us!
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/9/2010 12:29:29 AM
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luvsrickforever
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I am a super taster so most meds taste bad to me. I don't think I've had one that tasted good. I also have a Hiatial Hernia so I have trouble swallowing pills. Here is what I do in both cases.
I'm a grown-up but I would tell her that if she doesn't take her meds, she won't get well, and she might get worse. If she doesn't like being sick, then how will she feel if she gets worse? Anyway, for liquid meds, I hold my nose when I take it. I have those spoons. I hold my nose with one hand and take it with the other. I hold my nose for a long time. If I didn't, the stuff would be all over me, the sink, the floor, anywhere but in me. Probably about 20-30 seconds. I tried eating something after, like you said and all it did for me is make whatever I ate taste horrible! I can't do that.
As for pills, if the pills are to big, I have this cup that I bought in the pharmacy. It has a slot for the pill. You fill it with whatever liquid you would take the pill with and drink. The pill goes down with the liquid the way it's supposed to. This glass is plastic and it because you are not swallowing correctly they say. Hey, it works. That's all I care about.
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/9/2010 11:39:37 PM
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thisistheday
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Pastorpowerpoint, yes, I am trying to keep it positive. That is why I don't want to hold her down and give it to her except as a last resort. She might be more cooperative next time, but I could see it going the other way, too. At age 6 it seems reasonable to take measures to gain the child's cooperation.
Luvsrick, I had no idea there was something to help take pills like that; thanks, very interesting!
Donna, thanks for posting that. When I read that last night I thought shucks, hubby just got back from the store; can't send him back now. But I remembered I have Tupperware popsicle makers, and some drink concentrate in the pantry, so I made some popsicles this morning. R was looking forward to them all day because we rarely/never have them at home. I told her what they were for. So she ate some of her popsicle tonight, took her medicine (I squirted it down her throat with a syringe), and then finished her popsicle. I think the ones you buy would work better because more would fit in the mouth for more of a numbing effect. She kind of had to take bites off what I I made.
This morning I got out the syringe, she was fascinated by it. I let her sit and think about it for a bit and she decided she wanted me to give it to her with the syringe.
Thanks all!
Dee
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/10/2010 12:40:00 PM
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GraceyGirl
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swallowing meds are toughest with a sore throat - especially when to swallow feels like you're always swallowing glass.
We always gave our kids a shot of koolaid with a tsp of chloraseptic in it to numb things up first - you use one of those little dixie cups, and only put a couple ounces in it, with the Chloraseptic. Put it in the FREEZER though about 10 minutes before her dose. . .the cold and the little bit of Chloraseptic numbs the throat REALLY good. Follow her "koolaid shot" with the meds.
Our ped suggested this years ago, and it's still effective with our 12 year old. LOL
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/10/2010 1:18:54 PM
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Ellie-Mae
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quote:
ORIGINAL: GraceyGirl
swallowing meds are toughest with a sore throat - especially when to swallow feels like you're always swallowing glass.
We always gave our kids a shot of koolaid with a tsp of chloraseptic in it to numb things up first - you use one of those little dixie cups, and only put a couple ounces in it, with the Chloraseptic. Put it in the FREEZER though about 10 minutes before her dose. . .the cold and the little bit of Chloraseptic numbs the throat REALLY good. Follow her "koolaid shot" with the meds.
Our ped suggested this years ago, and it's still effective with our 12 year old. LOL
That is a great idea. I could have used that a couple for my 14 year old. Of course, he takes his meds, but he was in SO much pain. He found it very difficult to get his meds down.
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/10/2010 2:03:24 PM
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NuthouseMama
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syringes ROCK.
I'll hold 'em down. They get one shot to cooperate (I personally don't reward with candy. A yummy drink after...YES LOL). If they make a big deal out of it, I do the hold 'em from behind, pinch the nose, and dump it in routine. That's RARE though.
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/10/2010 2:24:32 PM
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manda59
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How did I get my children to take medicine? By telling them they had to, that that's what people do when they're ill, take stuff which often tastes yukky but will help make them better. They didn't have a choice, there was no placating or bribing or rewarding, it was just dealt with as part of normal life, no fuss, just matter-of-factly, no drama.
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/10/2010 2:40:42 PM
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SweetLittleErin
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quote:
ORIGINAL: manda59
How did I get my children to take medicine? By telling them they had to, that that's what people do when they're ill, take stuff which often tastes yukky but will help make them better. They didn't have a choice, there was no placating or bribing or rewarding, it was just dealt with as part of normal life, no fuss, just matter-of-factly, no drama.
I agree. My dude is still tiny but taking medicine will be a HAVE to in our house. I will have no issue with using force, I dont care it its a "negative experience" is a neccessary and it will be done. No problem with drinks after yucky stuff, I do that myself, but I will NOT bribe my child to take their medicine.
As far as spoons, I cant give MYSELF meds in a spoon without making a mess.
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/11/2010 1:28:42 PM
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GraceyGirl
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Something ya'll need to realize too. . .
Most of those "teaspoons" in your drawer, the ones you use to eat cereal and stir your coffee with?
They actually aren't the correct measure of a teaspoon! They are called "teaspoons" b/c they were originally used to stir tea.
It's best to either use a measuring spoon, a syringe, or one of those medicne spoons. That way you KNOW your kids are getting the right dosages!
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I have every confidence in God’s ability to work through you…don’t give anything away just because He is stretching you. ~ Donious Eichhornious
Our Village Life
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RE: Getting kids to take medicine - 3/11/2010 11:09:27 PM
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thisistheday
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Good point Gracie. R's 2 tsp needed about 4 of my small spoons from the drawer. And thanks for the tip about the Chloraseptic!
I would handle medicine much differently with a smaller child who was unwilling to take medicine. For a younger child yep, there isn't much to do if they are unwilling to take meds, and I'd quickly move to doing it myself and getting it done. And no, I wouldn't care a whole lot what they thought about that either.
R is six, and really wanted to take her medicine so she could get better. So I gave her choices and handled it accordingly. I was in charge. I don't feel bad about the approx 10 skittles total and one popsicle she got while getting used to taking her medicine. She doesn't ask for a treat now. Of course not taking the medicine was never option.
The way it was handled resulted in a child who is now willing to sit down with her syringe of medicine and a glass of water and take it by herself. No tears involved.
I am not quick to pull out the over the counter meds, and this is the first prescription R has ever had. I believe "lack of practice" is the main reason that sometimes my kids struggle with taking meds. We've been blessed with pretty healthy kids!
Thanks again to all who helped!
Dee
< Message edited by thisistheday -- 3/11/2010 11:23:24 PM >
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