When he was an infant, the medicine pacifire worked. Then up to a few months ago, I could hold him down and get him to swallow it by blowing in his face(it made him swallow). But NOW nothing works not even flavors and all he does is spit it out! He's got a cold and totally miserable and won't take his medicine. Does anyone have any suggestions? Anything worked for you?
2007-01-13 11:20:10 · 12 answers · asked by emrobs 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
People will tell you not to do this, but I did it and it worked AND my pediatrician said it was perfectly fine to do. Put the medicine in with your childs juice. Not a full serving of juice just enough that you know he/she will drink it all and get all the medicine too.
2007-01-13 11:25:45 · answer #1 · answered by NCMOMMAAC 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Blowing in his face doesn't work? Yipes...
Do you have one of those syringe type medicine things? They give them with the meds now at Walgreens almost all the time but sometimes you have to ask. They look like a syringe without a needle. If you hold them down and put it in the back of the cheek and blow that usually works (for cats too lol). And that is what the peditrician does say to do.
When my son was of a certain age though I had to let him do it himself to get him to do it. I gave him the syringe thing and I let him squirt water with it. Then I put sugar in the dose of medicine and sucked it up in the syringe. I let him do as much as he could depending on his age. Then he was able to "squirt" it into his own mouth.
Sometimes they just want independence.
He is 6 now and sometimes will ask if I put sugar in the medicine. We are still using the syringe things lol. My boyfriend has cancer and they have GIANT syrninges at the clinic. I grabbed one of those too! They hold 4 teaspoons rather than the typical 2 teaspoons.
Good luck!!!
2007-01-13 19:33:54 · answer #2 · answered by choice478 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have him suck on an ice cube or ice pop right before you give it. The cold will numb his tongue and he won't taste it. Then, give him the medicine quickly - a dosing syringe is good here - and follow it with a favorite drink. If he's able, tell him to hold his nose when he drinks the medicine. (Can't smell it, can't taste it!)
Don't mix it in a drink or anything - if he doesn't finish the drink, he won't get all of the dose, and some lose effectiveness when diluted.
2007-01-13 21:12:50 · answer #3 · answered by zippythejessi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could try the gel kind that won't spit out as easily. Or use a dropper to get it in the back of his throat...difficult to spit out from there. Mix it with a little applesauce or other soft food he likes. Dip a lollipop in it, let him lick...repeat until gone. Plan ahead and put some in an empty freeze pop wrapper and slightly freeze. Mix with a tiny bit of juice and give him a cup with a straw...kids love drinking from straws. Pretend that you are pouring some for yourself and taking it....don't "let" him have any right away until he starts grabbing for yours....make sure you say,"this is mine and you can't have it." If you are using a spoon, try a medicine cup and vice versa...something new is usually welcome. Good luck.
2007-01-13 19:29:57 · answer #4 · answered by Michele B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is going to sound mean, but I put my son in time out once and told him he could not get down until he had taken his medicine. I explained why he had to take it too.
I honestly did not know time out was going to work so well and now he takes it whenever i ask him.
Just be firm.
It did feel like I was punishing him unnecessarily, but I knew he had to have it so every couple of minutes I would ask him " are you ready to take your medicine now." eventually I got a yes, and I use a medicine dropper a little at a time.
Good Luck
2007-01-13 20:49:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I had a son that was diagnosed with leukemia when he was a year and a half old. Boy!! Did we try everything to get that kid to take medicine. I used to have to hold him down. If you have another adult to help you, that is great. Hold them on your lap, cross your legs over them and pin them down on your chest with your hands, The other person can hold their nose and put it in their mouth.
I used to put him on the floor and put my knees on top of his shoulders. He couldnt go anywhere, and I would hold his nose and put the medicine in his mouth. We would use a syringe, without the needle. It is small enough to get it in their mouth and get it back in their throat, so they can't spit it back out.
You can put it in something that they eat. Or maybe even in ice cubes. Put it in their mashed potatoes. It depends on if you are giving them liquid or pills. Pills you could mash up in food. Liquid you could put in something that they drink. I never wanted to put the medicine in something that was big. Because you don't want them to have to eat, take all of it. Little and fast is my motto.
You can be creative. If he likes superman, tell him it will make him grow and be big like superman. I know, you all probably think I am crazy, but hey, its medicine and kid needs it.
I could eventually reason with my son. Either take it or I will hold you down and make you take it. We can do it the easy way or the hard way. Your choice.
Please dont read this and make me feel bad because I used extreme measures. He had to have this medicine or he would die, so a little discomfort for a life was well worth it. He is 20 now and can pin me down. Lol.....
2007-01-13 19:45:40 · answer #6 · answered by operationspiritlift 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
this may seem kind of harsh, but it did work for my daughter. i used a normal medicine syringe. i put the medicine in her mouth, shut her mouth and blew lightly in her face. it forced her to swollow. she never cried or complained about it. if you want to do it the nice way, put it in some fruit (like applesauce). also, you can go to your pharmacist and they can "flavor" any medicine with a variety of flavors (from strawberry banana to pomegranate) for another three bucks or so.
good luck! i hope this helps!
2007-01-13 19:30:35 · answer #7 · answered by Summer 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I take the medicine dropper and fill it then run it uner water and stick it in sugar. My son loves the tase of sugar, who doesn't? and it makes the medicine a little sweeter. and since its only on the outside of the dropper, they are not getting a lot of sugar.
2007-01-13 19:26:06 · answer #8 · answered by Jessie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it was a liquid form, I would mix it with a little bit of applesauce. If it was a pill form, I would crush it up and mix it with a bit of applesauce. It worked for a quite a while, before she finally caught on.
2007-01-13 20:59:04 · answer #9 · answered by Deborah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe try hiding the medicine in a drink or in some applesauce. That is what I had to do with my kids when they refused to take it.
2007-01-13 19:25:32 · answer #10 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋