How do I get a 2-year old to take medicine?

Question

Have tried begging, bartering, threatening, putting it in milk, yogurt drinks, juice, applesauce

Answer 1

sneak it in their food

Answer 2

Get the pharmacist to mix it with a different flavoring. Then tell the kid they just have to take it in order to get better. Compliment them on how brave they are and how they know it's important to do the right thing.

If worse comes to worse, use one of those infant medicine hyperdemics (the kind that comes with baby Motrin or something). Measure up the medicine in the provided cup, then suck it all up into that hyperdermic thingamagig. Hold the kid's nose until they open their mouth to breath and then squirt it down the back of their throat (let go of the nose at the same time).

I only had to do that once before my daughter agreed to take her medicine herself from then on. She also pulls off her own band-aids. She would rather make herself go through it than let me do it to her.

Answer 3

My mom would always tell us "we can do this the easy way or the hard way." The easy way was indeed pretty easy. We could do it ourselves, or let her do it. She'd squeeze the syringe in the side of our cheeks, and have juice on hand to wash it down immediately. The hard way was her pinning us to the ground our heads stuck between her knees while she squirted it in. ANd she let it be known that should we spit it out she had plenty more to try again. She'd also remind us that it was to keep us healthy, doctors orders and if I didn't take it like I was supposed to I would probably have to take it as a shot to the butt. And lots of OOOHHH GOOD GIRL! Way to go! You did its! Followed by a drink to wash it down did wonders. NEVER say its candy, or tastes like candy though. You don't want her downing any medicine she gets her hands on to go straight into her mouth. Good luck!

Answer 4

If it's a drug they HAVE to have (like an antibiotic) then you pretty much have to force them... and it can be difficult.

You'll likely need at least two adults and effectively have to sit on them to hold them still. If needed, you can effectively create a strait jacket by wrapping them (below the neck) in a blanket. That's what they do at a doctors office to restrain children for procedures they must stay still for (like getting stitches).

Once you've forced them to lay still, you use the medicine syringe to slowly squirt a little medicine in there mouth at a time. It can literally take 10 minutes to get 5cc of medicine in them.

Answer 5

yes.

If it's a liquid, try the airplane trick while you are holding the child's face and opening your mouth. Then after he has taken in, give a few M&M's or favorite treats - but not through bartering or begging.

Answer 6

None of my kids like medicine (and will usually puke on me after taking it) but I always had to force it! It may sound mean, but when they have a 102 temp-they need Tylenol! I would sit on the floor and lay my child in front of me (head facing me and feet away from me). I would put my legs straight out and hold my kid's arms down with my legs. I then shoved the syringe full of nasty meds in their mouth. I know it sounds bad, but it needed to be done!

Answer 7

I also have this problem, and for pain or fever they need to take their meds. I opted for infant suppositories. I know it's nasty, but it stays in without my kids vomiting, crying, throwing fits etc. The option was introduced to me one night when my daughter had a bad fever. She kept vomiting up the Tylenol I was forcing her to swallow. I had no choice but to take her to the hospital. And easy enough, they used suppositories! Now I always keep some on hand. Hope this helps you!

Answer 8

get it in pill form and crush it up. mix it in ice cream or pudding.
in liquid form try to get a flavor he/she likes, although that might be hard most flavors are disgusting.
i'd go with the pill form if it doesn't take away from the medicine actually working when its crushed.

Answer 9

My parents would make me take it. They'd also say either take it or get a spanking, and they followed up on the spanking threat. And I'd STILL have to take it after the spanking. So if you threaten, be sure and follow up on it.