Tips on how to get my toddler to take his Liquid medicine?

Question

My 16 month old had an ear infection in both ears! He has a liquid antibiotic perscription he needs to take for the next TEN days! It taste like bubble gum, but he refuses to swallow it. We litterally had to hold him still and force him to take it. Half of it ended up all over me and him. What is a better way for him to take his medicine? any tips?

Answer 1

my daughter used to be horrible about taking meds but she loved to play with the medicine syringe we had for the liquids so i bought another one at cvs and would repeatedly fill it with water and squirt it into her mouth until this became a game for her. meanwhile the other syringe filled with medicine was waiting in the sink and when her guard was down i would squirt that into her mouth and before she realized it wasnt water she had swallowed it for meds she had to take more than once i had to do it a few more times every dose but she would always take it in the end

also holding his nose while you give it to him and until he swallows pretty much guarantees he cant spit it back out but this is much more unpleasant for both of you

Answer 2

If you are doing the holding down method which may be all that works at least use the medicine syringe instead of the spoon. Otherwise all i can think of is give him a reward for taking his medicine, maybe a sticker or a piece of candy or let him watch his favorite movie. It is tough at this age too bad they don't make a chewable form. At least he only needs it once a day. My advice bribery works well in some situations. Also praise him a lot when he does take it like a big boy.

Answer 3

Give her orange juice for the vitamin C and water to help keep her hydrated. Keep using the Vicks and the humidifiers to keep it loose and help her blow her nose. Warm tea is something I give my kids when they're under the weather (actually, they drink it all the time - warm or cold and are hardly ever sick). There are plenty of antioxidants in tea that will help her fight it. Also, make sure she gets lots of rest and don't keep the house too warm. Some fresh air might do her some good as well, especially if it has rained recently - then the air is nice and fresh. If the mucus is clear, it's likely allergies, yellowish is usually a cold (or flu) and green is a sinus infection. Good luck... I hope she feels better soon. God bless :o)

Answer 4

Don't mix it with juice. If the juice has a lot of vitamin C in it, then the medicine will lose some of its power. (You should also avoid giving them a juice "chaser" after the medicine.) One of the best ways I found to get the medicine in and down was to have an oral medicine syringe (like the one in this set http://store.babycenter.com/product/code/9503.do?scid=SSE:NXTG&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=12-21498421-2 ) and squirt small amounts along the back part of the cheek. It makes it harder to spit out that way. Even doing that, sometimes I still had to hold my kids down and even blow in their face to get them to swallow.
They can be stubborn little sorts when it come to taking medication. You might have to bribe him with a small piece of candy or a couple of M&Ms or Skittles if he takes his medicine without putting up a fight. I hope that some of this information helps. Good luck and I hope your son feels better soon!

Answer 5

I'm assuming it's liquid by the flavoring.

I'd either have the pharmacy make it a different flavor (grape and cherry seem to go down the best), or I'd mix it with something. Does he like oatmeal? Or, even mix with a bit of ice cream. If it was grape or cherry you could even mix it with some juice, but bubble gum would just taste horrible there.

You could even mash up a banana, once again assuming he likes bananas, and hide it there. If the flavor is too strong you can add a bit of peanut butter (make sure it's well mixed).

Answer 6

I always offered meds to my boys with a "chaser." I would give them a sippy cup with whatever they wanted in it. Then I would give them a little of the medicine (I used oral syringes. It's easier to control the amount you give them), then let them have a drink from their cup. We would repeat this until all the medicine was gone. A word of caution: You never want to tell them it's yummy or say it tastes like candy - phrases like that can get you in trouble later. Be as relaxed about it as you can: If he/she sees you getting ramped up about it, they will get defensive even before you've pulled up the dose. I like the answer about the popsicles. I'd not thought of that! Mixing it with applesauce, ice cream or yogurt are also options. Good Luck!

Answer 7

Try putting it in a bottle nipple, apparently when they suck medicine out of the bottle it misses most of their tongue.

Otherwise hmm try adding things to it, taste it and see if you think the flavour can be masked somehow.

Otherwise contact the pharmacy and see if they can make it a different flavour (they will need to call your doc for a new prescription) Your other option is to get pills. Most antibiotics are capsules filled with powder, this can be mixed with jam and whatnot. Though most of it has a pretty nasty aftertaste.

Answer 8

The big problem may be the anxiety of taking the medicine, and the experience at the doctor. Try one of the plastic droppers that have the push handle.. show your child how to work it, and let him take the medicine himself.. with some help of course.. But letting him have control may take the anxiety off

Answer 9

mix it in with his drink like kool aid or something dont let him see you do it you can put it in a sippy cup with a drink or make a treasure box and put small stuff like suckers,small toys in it and tell him if he takes his meds he gets a prize out of the box make sure he cant see whats in the box because if he sees whats in it he may not fall for it if theres nothing in there that he wants , curiosity useually always works

Answer 10

For my little sister my mom called the doctor for tips.
She is pretty good about taking medicine my little sister.
I would call the doctor. If you try it if front of him and say yummy or yum he might be convinced he likes it.
Good luck!