One of the most frustrating and helpless feelings as a parent comes when your child is sick and blatantly refuses to take the medicine that you know will help make her better. If you're one of these parents and have a fickle child who will not take medicine of any kind, don't panic. There are some creative methods that work.
My daughter is highly sensitive to tastes and smells. It has always been difficult to get her to take any medicine orally, or even topically if it has any kind of odour. The only medicine she would take orally as a baby was gripe water because she loved the taste of it. Gripe water is given for the relief of minor stomach upsets such as colic, cramps, flatulence and hiccups and can be purchased at most pharmacies and health stores. I have taken advantage of this through the years and used it as an aid in administering some medicines to her such as an anti-nauseant or acetaminophen. Most medicines for children do come in a variety of flavours and forms along with liquid, chewable tablets and suppositories. If you find one is not working with your child keep switching flavours and forms until you find one that he/she will consider taking. Here are some ideas that worked for me plus more great suggestions from other mothers I spoke to.
Can Crusher
Liquid Medicine:
If your children run every time they see the medicine dropper try giving the liquid on a fun spoon that has their favourite character on it. Quantum the medicine first in the medicine dropper and replacement it to their favourite spoon. If you don't have a favourite spoon yet go on a extra shopping spree and have them pick out the spoon they like. This puts an element of fun into taking the medicine.
If you are using the dropper, squeeze the liquid into the side cheek area where they won't spit it out so easily. The roof of the mouth or on the tongue is highly sensitive to taste and touch which may cause the child to gag or spit it out.
Sandra, a mom of two children under the age of six, had this idea to share.
"My son always takes his medicine through a straw," she says.
Sue has three children and has a hard time convincing her 10 year old son to take pills.
"He still refuses to take pills and will only take medicine in liquid form. This can get quite costly since he needs to take more of the liquid according to his age and weight."
Suppositories:
Suppositories are soft capsules which melt when inserted into the rectum. These can be a successful alternative if your child is unable to keep anyone in the stomach. If your child is afraid of the suppositories try inserting them while he is asleep. If he is a heavy sleeper he won't feel a thing. If he wakes up it's regularly after the suppository has already been inserted and the only thing left to do is to relax him.
Chewable Tablets:
Chewable tablets are favorite for the 2 - 12 age group. They come in different flavours and forms such as "softchews" that dissolve speedily in the mouth so the taste and texture doesn't linger (or before the child has a chance to spit it out!). To help with the regular chewable tablets try giving your child a bit of fruit such as banana or strawberry to chew with the tablet. For older children who are studying to swallow pills eating a banana or taking a teaspoon of mayonnaise afterward will help slide it down.
Mixing Tablets With Food or Liquid:
If you cannot find a flavoured chewable tablet that your child will take try crushing the tablet and mixing it with a favourite food or liquid. Before doing this confirm with your physician that the food/liquid and medicine can be mixed together safely and effectively.
Using a pill crusher (a garlic presser works just as well) crush the tablets and mix them into a desired food such as applesauce, ice cream, jello or pudding. If the colour of the crushed tablet mixed with the food makes your child suspicious, sprinkle some rainbow sprinkles (used to decorate cakes) on top for camouflage, or try crushing the tablets and mixing with a few drops of water first to dissolve. This aggregate can then be added to a liquid such as gripe water, juice or water. When using a syringe, squirt the liquid into the side of the mouth and ensue up with a favourite treat.
Treats & Sweets:
Children need to know there's something good arrival after the anguish of taking medicine. Theresa, mom of three, is thankful her children are quite cooperative when it comes to taking medicine.
"My oldest daughter, age 7, needs only a drink of juice or water as a chaser after taking her medicine," she says.
Here are some ideas for chasers, providing of policy there are no allergies:
* Teaspoon of honey (never give honey to a child under age two)
* Water or juice
* Gripe water
* Tsp. Of chocolate sauce
* Tsp. Of ice cream
* Chocolate milk
* Popsicle or freezie
* Ice cube (can also be used before to numb the taste buds)
Medicinal Information:
As a security precaution, always check with your physician on the name, dosage and power of a prescribed medicine for your child before you give the prescribe form to the pharmacist. Doctors' prescriptions are often illegible so when the pharmacist fills the prescription, you can check the label yourself to make sure it's right.
Acetaminophen
- relieves fever & pain
- comes in various forms along with liquid, tablets (chewable & regular) and suppositories
Antihistamine
- relieves hay fever symptoms, itch due to allergic reactions
Antibiotics
- prescribe medicines that kill bacteria
Ibuprofen
- relieves fever & pain
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
- comes in tablet or liquid form
Anti-nauseant
- arresting & medicine of nausea and vomiting
- comes in various forms along with liquid, tablets (chewable & regular), and suppositories
Decongestant
- relieves nasal congestion
- sometimes used in aggregate with antihistamines to combat colds and allergies
Oral Rehydration Solution
- liquid containing water, sugar & mineral salts
- used while bouts of diarrhea and vomiting
Talk in Children's Language:
Make the medicinal process into a game or story. One mom wisely used this recipe to her advantage when she told a story to her son about what was happening inside his body when he was sick. The story was about how a superhero (the medicine) used his mind and weapons to fight against the enemy (the virus) and won.
The 1 2 3 counting recipe can also be useful. Counting gives a child some time to get mentally ready to take the medicine. By the time you get to "3"she knows it's time to take the medicine.
Another mom tells about the playful way she gives medicine to her son. "I tell him to hold his nose, open his mouth and close his eyes. It works every time!"
Finally, don't forget that timing is everything. Avoid giving children medicine when they're over-tired. Children become very unreasonable when they're tired and administering a medicine they dislike may become an impossible task. Matching up good timing with some of these creative methods, and lots of love and patience, will help the medicine go down and give you peace of mind.
Copyright © 2008 by Lisa Azimi
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