C.B. asks from McKinney, TX on November 26, 2007
My Child Spits Out the Medicine!
How can I give my child his medicine? I've tried everything! He knows when I mix it into pudding or applesauce and won't eat it. I pry his mouth open and shoot it into his mouth with a syringe and he spits it back out at me. I bribe him....still no luck. Any advice?? He's 2 years old and my only source of restraint is me!
More Answers
A. answers from Dallas on November 26, 2007
Well, it depends on what you are trying to give him. I have found that for some meds, my kids prefer the strips, so if he needs a decongestant or something like that we use infants triaminic strips. Now if it is antibiotics, find out if there is a chewable version. And I love zithromax because it is only 5, or sometimes even 3, doses and we are done!! I also have discovered for things like tylenol and motrin that I can give my kids junior chewables, so that my 18 month old only has to eat one. What you have to do to make it safe, is check the amount of medicine in each pill, and compare that to how much is in one tsp of medicine, and then give them the meds accordingly. If you have any questions about dosing correctly, let me know. Good luck, this is never a fun fight! ~A.~
L.R. answers from Sherman on November 26, 2007
orange juice is what i use....www.athomebusiness.myarbonne.com
M.D. answers from Dallas on November 26, 2007
I went through the same thing with my 23 month old. Many times I had to hold her down and shoot the syringe like you mentioned. Then I started offering her different ways to take it- her top picks... a squeeze dropper that she can do herself (with a little help from mom) and now she loves to do it from the dosage cup like big sis does. I guess she just didnt like the syringe or all of the drama that went along with meds. I let her have some options and now she gets mad when someone else gets meds and she doesnt. She loves to take any kind now! Good Luck!
L.F. answers from Killeen on November 27, 2007
Try putting it in chocolate milk without him seeing it - my daughter went thru the same stage for a while and that was the only way I could get her to take it.... strawberry milk or chocolate milk - good luck - it use to break my heart when I had to literally sit on my daughter and wrap my legs around her to get her to swallow the medications.
C.B. answers from Dallas on November 26, 2007
What if you found a fun container to put the medicine in other than the original bottle and tell him it is something fun like monkey juice or anything else cute? You may even resort to grotie boy stuff if that is what he likes - dinosaur or bug juice. Even maybe magic potion he puts on top of his dessert to make him super smart, run faster or jump higher. Hopefully something will work out soon- That is never a fun battle! Good Luck!
G.A. answers from Tyler on November 26, 2007
I have a 22 month old and we use the squeeze dropper and I let him give it to himself. Makes him feel like it is his idea when he gets to be a big boy and do it. I have been told that holding his nose will actually make them swallow if you had to hold him down to give it.
Good luck to you.
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