Getting My Toddler to Take Yucky Medicine

My son in 23-months-old and when I want him to take his medicine (sometimes it is yucky tasting) I grab a straw and suck it up and then hold the top of it and ask him to open up and then he will suck out what is in the straw because he thinks it is going to be something yummy. Then by the time he realizes what it is he already took it. Then I will find something he likes and put that in the straw so his final memory is a good one. That way when I do it again the next day he forgot about the yucky medicine. Hope it works.

1 mom found this helpful

If it's a tablet, you could pulverize it and mix it in with something tasty. Some tastes are just difficult to cover up. Consider liver. There isn't anything in the world that helps that taste better! Just keep trying. My mom used to try maple syrup. It worked.

But please don't tell me you're giving a 2 year old prednisone. that's bad news for anyone, let alone a toddler.

My four year old was on prednisolone for a while. During the first round we just toughed it out. Typically we gave her what we call a chaser - juice, pop (the only time she got it, and only then 4 oz.), that sort of thing to help wash down the flavor. Even a hard candy or something strong flavored that she could eat. For the second round we had the pharmacist use some of the medicine flavoring, grape was the choice. Although she hasn't had to use it yet, I have tasted it (and tasted the first) and it was much better. I know that Target, Meijers and Walgreens both offer the flavoring for a nominal charge (I think hers was $3, and insurance covered it). For now you might want to try giving her a chaser after her dose and then look into the flavoring for any refills. The flavoring has worked well for us in the past.

If you mix meds with other foods, or split and stretch-out the dosage, always check with your Dr. or pharmasist (i.e., steriods work based on the level of the drug in your system and so spreading out the dose may not be effective as you never reach the level you need to, etc.). The chocolate syrup worked great for us, and sometimes the 'flavor' the pharmasist added would work. But there is such a bitter after-taste with these meds that it is not so much getting it down, it is what you taste (for hours)after it goes down. If you child likes 'sour candy' tastes that works great too (while I don't like giving candy, it was worth it to get the medicine down) - the 'sour' taste seemed to mask and outlast the bitter after-taste of the med. As soon as my daughter could swallow a pill, we switched to that (but make sure you take a mouth of liquid, tilt head back, open mouth, drop pill in liquid, lower head and then swallow! If you put the pill on the tounge and then try to take a drink of liquid, the pill sticks to the tounge and dissolves somewhat giving/leaving the same bitter aftertaste as the liquid medicine...this is especially true of the steriod pills - I think iron pills have a coating to prevent them from sticking or dissolving until they are swallowed). Good Luck!

My son also had to take that. It was tough, but what I did was drop it into his milk and shook it up - per the recommendation of my pediatrician. I also offered red meat and more spinach to complement the supplement.

Good luck.

I offer my boys "treats" something they don't usually get for example, "if you take all your medicine you can pick 3 m&ms for your treat after you drink all your medicine" that usually works. Another idea is hide it in something with a stronger taste preferably something that your little one hasn't tasted before like vernors just a swallow or so of it though. Good luck!

Hi, my dayghter is taking prednisolone right now. She doesn't like the taste but I put it in the measuring spoon they give you at the pharmacy and let her drink it herself. Then I give her a little watered down juice or something. She does fine. I think it makes her feel like a big girl. Good luck, L.

A lot of pharmacies can flavor liquid medicine now when they make up the prescription. You should ask about it, I can't remember what it's called but you can also buy packs of the medicine flavoring over the counter to add to medicine. I know I have definitley had medicine flavored at Meijer and Walgreens for my son. They do a whole list of flavors like orange, melon, bubblegum, grape, banana etc.
You could also try using one of those medicine syringes, just shoot it towards the back of her throat, then the flavor doesn't won't on her tongue as much as when on a spoon. I know they seem a bit old for the syringe but it is sometimes easier. I would still check out the flavors, the last time I got one it was only $2.50 to have it added, well worth it.

I have heard good things about this:
PediaSense Reliadose Medicine Delivery System
I got mine at Walgreens.com--and I just checked it is still there. I haven't tried it, yet, though it is probably worth a try.

i would see if there isnt a chewy vitamin that has a bit of iron in it..

find out how low her iron is... normal is about 12.5 11 is considered a bit low... 10 is low... at 8 they normally give you a tranfusion..

If it is not that low.. just feed her iron rich food.. red meat, broccoli...

My mother was on medication for low iron and then was supplementing with raisins. When she went back to the doctor's she was then at the opposit end of the scale with too much iron in her system. Try feeding her raisins and see if it helps. The other suggestion take it to the pharmacy if it is liquid and have them flavor it. This only costs $2-$4.

Good luck
Chelle E.

How are you giving it to her now? Mixed with something or plain, on a spoon?... I have the most sucess with getting my kiddos to take meds when I use a syringe. You can buy them at walmart in the pharmacy dept... The measurements are marked on it. It makes it quick, just squirt it in the mouth. They don't HAVE to open their mouth so if they protest its only a tiny little thing you need to get in instead of a big spoon.
For the nasty tasting stuff I hold the meds in one hand and a cookie or other treat in the other... Take the meds, get a cookie/ treat... Always have a drink in a cup right there so they can wash it down.
The nice thing about the syringe is that it works for all liquid meds. I still use them for my 7 yr old when she needs cough/ allergy meds. And no spills or sticky babys.
good luck

If your child is able to drink through a straw, have them take the medicine through a straw (less touches the tongue) and it will not taste as terrible. Use a short straw, as long ones need more suction to work. Let the child select a "chaser" beverage of choice, and have a glass of whatever they want to get the last bits of the taste out of their mouth.
If your child cannot use a straw, draw the medicine up in a syringe (without a needle, you can get them at your local pharmacy) and let the child give themselves the dose, some like to avoid their tongue. Again, chaser of choice helps. Particularly if the other children don't get any of the chaser (give them some thing else).... so it is more of a treat.
good luck, L.

Yes, when my son was 1 he needed to take the iron for a whole year because of low iron due to losing too much blood in an accident. We had so much trouble. He wouldn't finish his drinks so that didn't work. Finally, a pharmacist flavored it with the right flavor for the iron and he would take it like that. I think that was right when they started offering the flavoring option. This pharmacy was at the childrens hospital and was the only one to offer that option to us. You need to ask the pharmacy though, which flavor will work best and go with that one. They won't all work.

HI-

I would try mixing it in some food such as pasta or mac and cheese, something where she wont taste it.

can you take it back to pharmacy and have them flavor it? My daughter was on a nasty antibiotic about a month ago- the first batch was nasty but when I went back to get the rest(pharmacy didnt have whole prescription) I had them add Bubble gum flavor and it helped. Good Luck

Have you tried adding iron rich foods to her diet? You said it was a little low, so diet change may help. I find that doctors give meds to often for things that can be easily fixed with diet changes. I've listed some sites that may help. I know alot of the foods listed aren't really kid friendly so you could make fruit smoothies and add a few of the veggies just to get them in her. I like to add spinich and tofu to mine. If you're unsure diet change will help talk to your doctor. Good luck!

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/iron.html

http://www.healthcastle.com/iron-anemia-diet.shtml

I have always had luck with applesauce, or pudding. Good Luck!

Shelly

Hi B.,
My son took it also when he was a toddler. I tasted it to and it was really bad. I started mixing it with OJ in the morning because OJ is alittle stronger tasting than grape juice. He really didn't seem to notice that it was in there. I hope that helps. Good luck!

Hi B.,

When my little girl was two she wouldn't take an antibiotic prescribed by the doctor. I had luck mixing it with chocolate milk. A little chocolate syrup must have masked the flavor enough.

Good luck to you!
Sherry.

I went through this recently. My son was so good about taking medicine - then one 'bad' medicine made him refuse EVERYTHING. :(

The bad news - nothing worked. We dealt with forcing it on him which was miserable for us and him. Consider talking to the doctor to see if there is a shot or alternative to getting the supplement. Would a children's gummy vitamin work a couple times a day? Is there a pill that you could crush into foods or drink that she wouldn't notice the flavor or realize she was taking it. Does flavoring the medication help? Can you administer it in a different way - like instead of using a syringe to do it, maybe let her drink it from a cup (where she has control and is being a 'big girl') -use a chaser of something good. I've heard the chocolate syrup one a lot. Can you mix it in a drink or food? (This didn't work for us.) Try bribery - offering up a favorite treat or activity if she takes her medicine. (Not my favorite method, but when you're at that point...ANYTHING is worth a try!)

The good news - for my son, within a few months, he got a little older and started to be good with taking meds again. He'll now take some chewable tylenol, drink benadryl from it's own measuring cup, and take the mucinex mini melts (bubble gum flavor) - those remind me of pixie sticks! I give him a dixie cup of water to drink when he's done with any meds and praise him for doing it so good and remind him it's to help him feel better.

Best wishes - do what you can to deal with this rough patch. I know how difficult it is. Hopefully you can get better options from the doctor - and hopefully your little girl starts to realize it's easier when she cooperates! She's just young and knows she doesn't like or want it. :) Definitely understandable...but it's hard to reason with a two year old!! :)

My doctor suggested eating a Starbursts after my daughter takes the medicine and they work. They take the yucky taste right away

Well my son has had to take the nastiest stuff on earth for his children's absence epilepsy and he's been doing this for about 5 years now since he was 4. We were able to reason with him somewhat and for the most part that worked fine, however his Auntie gives him an incentive (candy) after he's a good sport and drinks it all, no complaints!
Mind you that works best especially when they are young!

Good luck, hope this helps!

CHOCOLATE SYRUP!!! My son would literally throw up his medicine until he was three years old. Even MOTRIN which tastes good! I had to mix everything in chocolate syrup. WORKS GREAT! Good luck.

I give my baby his medicine through a bottle nipple. I put the liquid medicine in the nipple (no bottle) and he'll suck it right down, and the liquid bypasses his taste buds. My sister-in-law told me about this trick and it's a miracle!!!

Three ideas:

1. go to a compounding pharamcist and see what kinds of other ways it can be presented (there are lollipops and freezies and all kinds of odd flavour and packaging choices) and

2. the reason people used to hold their noses when they were trying to swallow something foul is that smell is about 98% of the sense of taste. You could suggest she try it... and

3. find out if she wants to learn how to swallow pills -- they don't typically get prescribed pills because doctors assume they can't swallow them without chewing them, which she may well be capable of doing. Kids get marbles in them somehow...

Also, be very sure that she's being checked regularly to see if the solution is working... lots of small children have iron deficiency that is resistant to treatment, and she may need injections instead. Then she could at least stop being tortured by the medication.

Hi B.. My sister-in-law had the same problem recently. Not with the same medication, but an awful tasting one none the less. Her son would fight and scream and clamp his mouth shut. She tried to mix it in many things, including applesauce as recommended by her pharmacist. When nothing seemed to work, she finally mixed the medication in chocolate syrup (not chocolate milk) and it worked. It's a trick I'm going to remember! Hope it helps. Good luck!

My youngest had to take this too and I had the worst time getting her to take it. I bribed her with a sucker or gum and soetimes that worked (if I had it open and ready for her!) but sometimes I had to hold her arms and make her take it...I always used a syringe so that I could squirt it in to the back of her mouth. It was horrible and I felt awful doing it but she was getting very sick and had to have it. I found mixing it woth stuff didnt work cuz then she had to drink a larger quantity of yucky tasting stuff. The quicker I got iut over the easier it was. Sorry!!!

My son had iron drops, I always just stirred it into applesauce or oatmeal...
there is a worry that they won't get it all, but at least he took it...

What about a vibrantly flavored applesauce?

I hate it when moms use this site to criticize other moms instead of answering the question that was asked. All 3 of my children have been on Prednisolone for the treatment of wheezing and retracting associated with URI's. It has unpleasant side effects, sure...but it is mainly used to ease breathing and I think we'd all agree that breathing is not a luxury. So lets all hop down off of our soap boxes until we know the facts, K?

Ok...now off of mine...LOL! Iron just may be the worst tasting med out there. I don't know of any way to mask the metal taste...BUT, Id be willing to taste anything mixed in choc. syrup, as one mom suggested! You might find that if you put a few drops mixed in to foods that are already high in iron, your little one might not notice. Nothing says that the dose has to be all in one...split it up, perhaps. If all else fails, ask the pharmacist if there is a prescription iron supplement that tastes better, or that can be flavored. Many of the OTC meds that we buy can be purchased by prescription, too, and ran through your insurance to help with the cost.

Good luck!
~L.

Did you try giving to her plain? I know it sounds crazy, but my son was on iron also and I tried to hide it in EVERYTHING and he wouldn't drink it. So finally, the pediatrition said I had to just try to force it down him... when I did, I was surprised that he actually would drink it that way.

Whatever you do, don't mix it with milk. Apparantly milk off-sets the medication and it won't absorb into your child's system that way... we didn't know this for a couple months.

Good luck!

I know an oral vitamin that tastes better that would fill the need that she has. Let me know if you want information!

S.
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