Need Suggestions on How to Give 3 Year Old Iron Supplement

Most of the iron supplements do taste truly awful. Unfortunately at age 3 it is nearly impossible for a child to cognitively understand why he or she must take it, holding them down simply makes a mess, and punishment for refusing to take it usually doesn't have much effect as they live very much in the moment...and in the moment it tastes awful.
There is a better tasting preparation called ICAR-C....you may have to call around for it but there should be a pharmacy in the area who carries it.
Hope that helps!

There is another product called
Shaklee Liqi-Lea which was designed for children. It not only has 5 mg. of iron, but has 23 vitamins, the most complete todders supplement in the market. I use it myself as the iron causes the oxygen in the blood to almost instantly give more energy. One to two teaspoons is the dosage. With all the vitamins, it has a fruity taste. Most like it, but naturally some don't. The cost is $16.45 plus postage unless you can pick it up in Independence. The product is guaranteed so if the child won't take it, there is a money back quarantee. The formula was designed by Dr. Shaklee and has been in use for over 30 years. Many mothers with older children use it with their ADD children or can be used with anyone with digestive problems. My phone number is ###-###-#### and e-mail is ____@____.com for any questions.

There is a liquid you can get at a health food store that doesn't taste so bad. It is called Floradix. It might be to the point where your three year old is just going to oppose you on pure principal to build will power! I'm curious why supplementation is necessary with a certain type of iron. Also, when my child turned up anemic at 2 years old we cut out dairy and that helped. Milk and dairy block iron absorption and if someone is allergic or sensitive to milk it can inhibit their ability to use iron.

I wish you all the best. Health concerns with kids are what make me feel old some days!!

L. C.

Whats the reason for Iron supplement, can you just give him a regular kid vitamin, I give my son the Cars vitamins, chewable/gummy.

Is this a prescription if it is they can add a flavor to it.Also my daughter needed to take an Iron supplement for borderline anemia we used ENFAMIL POLIVISOL with iron it is 10 bucks at walgreens it has a smell but my daughter never noticed I didn't use it in apple juice because to me it smells more like vitamins.You can try chocolate milk make it a lil more chocolatly and don't tell her that the vitamin is in what she is consuming that will make her spit it back out.

Somethings can't be made "nice"....it might be better in the long run to just explain, "this is medicine and it has to be taken" ... and get it done with one swallow.

You could take Geritol liquid at the same time, it's awful stuff, and even if you have a balanced diet, Geritol shouldn't overload you on anything....make it a team effort and both of you swallow the yucky stuff at the same time.

Now I have to ask...did your doctor say your child needed extra iron? To much iron can be very very dangerous, I would be very certain this child needs it before I forced the issue.

I have been there, with a child who wouldn't take meds I really felt they could use, say like Tylenol for a fever with a 6 yo. Grandma got it down her the first time, me the second. Then, I thought she needed her asthma meds, and the screaming and holding her down caused her to puke. Well, at least it was air meds.

First off, if he is only slightly anemic, iron supplements won't do much. You should encourage it in his diet, and Popeye works well for spinach. If he HAS to have it or he will be hospitalized, then find a better alternative or have the doctors give him shots. It isn't going to do anyone any good if he throws it up because of the upset it causes, or that you have grey teeth over it, or whatever.

I would talk to your doctor though, if it is medically indicated. If he is having nose bleeds, like my son had, who was also slightly anemic as a baby and toddler, the chewables worked just fine to get rid of them. Many times, slight anemia runs in families, and supplements don't work in that situation either.

I think some pharmacies will mix liguid meds up for kids in better tasting stuff--you could try that.

I know how you feel, my youngest has a disorder that causes her body to not store enough iron. She has taken iron since she was about 8mo old (when the problem was diagnosed). I took the liquid iron and placed it between her cheek and teeth, then even if she was refusing I could get it in. Make sure you brush her teeth after giving it to her or it can stain her teeth over time. My daughter has mostly out grown the need for iron more than what comes in a daily vitamin, we still have blood tests once a year to make sure things are going well. Good Luck!!

You can't mask it, YOU are the parent, he is 3, just tell him he has to take it, give it right from the dropper, or spoon, then a quick drink of water.
THEN give him a treat. IF he has to take it for a condition, low iron etc. THEN he has to get used to taking medication regardless of the taste. YOU are the mother, DO not give in to him. he is old enough to talk to . MIXING any medication in another liquid is not a good idea. Most of the time they do not get the whole dose.
Way to many parents now days think they have to give in to their kids, mask medications. NO>> NO> NO> Parents have to be parents.

i don't know if it would help, but i still give my 2 year old the childrens' tylenol (when he needs it) with the medicine syringe thing i got from the pharmacy when he was really little. it shoots it to the back of his throat and it goes right down. i know tylenol must taste a lot better than your stuff, but it might be worth a shot. he/she wouldn't have to taste it as much. good luck!

I ended up having my pharmacist add grape flavoring to our vitamin drops (Polyvisol - sp?). The drops are OTC, but we had to get a script from the doc to have the flavoring added. They are still a little icky, but so much better. And, they ar part of our bath routine in case some does spill out - no stains! Good luck.

I am not a health care provider. You don't mention why your child needs the supplement. You may want to consider asking your dr if you could get the iron in your child with foods rather than a supplement.

If you have to stick with a supplement, ask someone in the pharmacy for a suitable substitute or if they have any masking suggestions.

If your child must take this supplement, then he must. You are the adult, he is the child and he must take the medicine. You can try to make it as pleasant as possible, but in the end if he has to take it, he needs to learn that he must take it. Your child should not be in a position to put you at wit's end.

Hi S.-
My son had to take a terrible antibiotic when he was almost 4. It was HORRIBLE!! The smell of it made me gag. We tried it in applesause, juice, you name it, the bad taste took over whatever we put it in. I ended up finding flavoring for medicine at Wal-Mart in the pharmacy area. It's a box of 4 or 5 flavors and a syringe that you can mix it in. If it wasn't for that stuff, we wouldn't have ever gotten that down him.

I owuld suggest a cola flavored soda. I realize it is only for a 3 year old who shoudl not be having soda, but if a few sips help her get down the medicine she needs...... That was the only hting that has ever worked to mask bad tasting medicine for me. I hope you can figure it out.