Hi,
Does anyone have suggestions on ways to give medication to a strong willed 2 1/2 year old? I've tried the syringe in the side of the mouth in full dose and increments to no avail. she will spit it out and even (bless her) let all the medication and saliva drool from her mouth after shes spit it out. I don't know what to do. I even mixed it in a liilte juice but that didn't work. HELP!!
Can you get it in a pill form? We take my daughters pill and crush is up in between two spoons until really tiny and then put sugar on it and my daughter deals well with this. You can also talk to a compound pharmacy and ask what kind of forms can they make with the med. They can often times make them into gummy's or chewables.. Just depends on the meds. Good luck. It is hard!
I also have a strong willed 3 year old and he's been on allergy medicine pretty much his entire life and he used to be down right defiant about taking it until one day we put it into a little cup. It made him feel like such a big boy for getting to drink out of a cup without a lid that he continued to take his medicine that way and has since without any problems. But maybe see if you can get it into a chewable formula. Maybe she's got a problem with taking the liquid...
Good luck!
We're really lucky to have good medicine takers, thank Goodness.
It would be easier if kids were like dogs and had a reflex to swallow when blowing in their nose.
Have you asked the pediatrician's office yet what kind of tricks they have? There are hundred of flavorings that pharmacies can use for Rx medications.
There's the holding their nose so they can't taste it.
You may have to resort to bribery if she's so strong-willed. I'd never have said that a few years ago, but I'm learning it's a fine art with 2 kids under the age of 4.
Good luck!
what kind of medication are you giving her? I have found that (over the counter) meltaways and thin strips work great! If its a rx, ask your ped or pharmacist if there is a chewable available. My 2 year old takes them without any fight, and I know how big a fight those 2 year olds can put up! Good luck!
Can you try mixing it with applesauce? Pudding? Jello?
Also, you can do flat-out bribery: have her favorite treat (candy/cookie/whatever) ready to go for RIGHT after you syringe it into her mouth.
(Hey, it works with my dog & Milkbones! LOL)
Good luck!
My son was always pretty good until one bout where he flat out rejected taking a syringe. We had to take the hard route that the nurses taught us and basically one of us held onto him while the other worked the syringe and then just held his mouth closed until he swallowed. We explained to him that we liked the "easy way" better than the "hard way" but he had to have his medicine. He made us do it this way a couple of times and then after that took it fine. We also call his medicine "pink drink" instead of calling it amoxicillin or medicine. It changed his attitude toward it.
I had to do it the hard way. They had to be held down force syringe in the back of the mouth so they either had to swallow or choke. It was to far back to spit it out.
