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There is a tread how to swallow pills. How about how do you get a kid to take medicine that doesn’t taste so good?
A few ways that might work
1: Distract them with a toy/stuffed animal.
2: Bribe them.
3: Tell the kid that they will be like all the older kids if they take it. Boosting their ego will help them.
4: Tell them straight out that its good for them.
Remember to always not get frustrated if they refused if you do get frustrated dont let the child see you frustrated.
Im not a parent but these are things that have worked on me/siblings/friends when we were young(er)
Try using a syringe and place it as far back in their mouths as you can so as you squirt it in it bypasses the tongue and they don’t really have to taste it.
I once heard the path for smell and taste are connected. So when a person has a cold’ food doesn’t taste as good. In the hospital during my peds rotation, I would tell children we were doing an experiment. I would have them pinch their nose and drink the medicine and then try would tell me if the medicine tasted the same or they tasted it less. Thy usually said they tasted the medicine less.
concuss them and then pour it down their throats…
Ask your doctor if you can add it to a drink. In a drink with a lot of flavor like ice tea you wont be able to taste the medicine. I once did that with a vitiamin I had to take which I procrastinated taking because of the flavor.
Try using a syringe and place it as far back in their mouths as you can so as you squirt it in it bypasses the tongue and they don’t really have to taste it.
Aries……..thanks. I will try that
reason #429 not to take (or give) medical advice in the cr:
if you take this advice make sure the syringe you use is placed to the far side of the mouth, to the side of the tongue, not in the center of the mouth over the tongue. that can be dangerous (even life-threatening, such as aspiration).
and its not necessary to place as far back as possible, that can be quite unpleasant for the child, making the next time more difficult. about an inch or so is fine. the idea is not so much to bypass the tongue as to cause a forced swallowing reflex.
What happened to “a spoonful of sugar”?
computer777 -“There is a tread how to swallow pills. How about how do you get a kid to take medicine that doesn’t taste so good?”
Most of these liquids taste great. Try another company. Also if the kid is old enough to chew -they make delicious chewables.
“The only thing that worked is someone holding his hands down, and forcing him to take it.”
Now I’ve done this when my kids were very young because there is that stage of No/No, no matter what you say – stage. It had nothing to do with taste. If your kid is older, I would not do this. This will traumatize him. Either do the chewable or go to the Doc for a shot. Sometimes just threating the shot will magically have the kid drink the drug.
aries2756 -“Try using a syringe and place it as far back in their mouths as you can so as you squirt it in it bypasses the tongue and they don’t really have to taste it.”
“that can be dangerous (even life-threatening, such as aspiration).”
Yes Aries -I agree with Doc Feivel. This isn’t a good idea. I have forced my kids to take meds as I explained to computer 777.
Putting it all the way back will either have them choke or they will activate their gag reflex and throw the whole thing up. What I did to my kids during the “terrible twos” & sometimes these “terrible twos” last to 4-6 years of age – I’d hold them down and pour the medicine into their mouth. So what is to stop them from spitting it out? Simply, because as soon as I poured it in – I squeezed both sides of the mouth together. This prevents a spitting. The medicine goes all over inside the mouth and when it hits the back -Wha-lah -the epiglottis kicks in and they swallow it.
gavra_at_work: Exactly. In my house they take it and then get a cookie to get rid of the taste.
Recommended idea: medicine->cracker (to absorb the taste)-> cookie
When I was a counselor I had to give a three-year-old kid her strep medicine and that’s what I did.
cold definitely tastes much less than room temp. also, age of your child is a huge factor here. toddler – lay them on their back across you lap, pinch mouth open squeeze in and quickly follow with blowing in after it. Learnt it in a peds er. Works everytime. For an older child have a forbidden treat on hand – piece of chocolate, cup of soda, etc. to be given after the meds.
Good luck and refuah shelaimah! A kid would have to be at least 8 or 9 for the “its good for you” argument to carry any weight.
Pinch the nose closed and the sense of taste is greatly mitigated. At the same time, swallow the medicine. True story!
It is impossible to swallow with your nose closed.
popa: not true. your ears might pop, but you CAN swallow. then unplug your nose and swallow again. clear ears.
Hi PBA.
lol Not for everyone. I suggest people pinch their nosed closed right now, just like when they are driving on the Turnpike near Elizabeth. Then simply swallow. Or first try to talk a little, and then swallow.
It may be difficult for some to multi-task like that, but for the general population, it is not overly difficult.
And, it works for not having to bear the unpleasant taste of medicine as it goes down.
Like I said; true story! Hopefully no one needs to use it.
My parents used to wake me in the middle of the night and force it down my throat, and I wouldn’t remember anything in the morning (unless I’ve suppressed the memories, lol).
If it can be mixed in jello or pudding, that might help (but only in a small spoonful, because you want them to get th entire medicine in one dose).
some other techniques I’ve seen work
-2 or 3 month old baby screaming and needed Tylenol. this was in the ER so the nurse had a thin syringe and placed a small amount in the middle of the babies tongue and the baby automatically swallowed. (1/2 hr later the fever was down and the baby was sleeping)
-for bottle drinkers, place the med in the nipple of the bottle. but it should not be mixed with anything.
I just noticed this thread,and I’m surprised that no one mentioned this helpful hint. If you mix the medicine into cold Kedem concord grape juice,the bad taste is masked.It works beautifully.
computer777 -“Health: there are no chewables for the dosage he needs at least that’s what I was told.”
I don’t understand this. What did the Doc give him -PVK? This could be switched to Amoxil chewables.
“He told me forcing him by holding his hands tight like this morning was how he wanted to take the medicine lol.”
It is wrong to hold down an older kid. It’s very traumatic.
“He even agreed to get a shot instead, but I’m not up to taking him to the doc daily for 10 days. (I’m sure though after the first injection he would have changed his mind.)”
Is this what your Doc told you or did you make this up?
Had you asked your Doc -he/she would have told you for Strep Throat you can give one shot of Penicillin G, not 10.
Here is the drug dosing from emedicine.com:
“Peds Dosing Form & Strengths
injectable suspension
600,000units/1mL syringe
1.2million units/2mL syringe
2.4million units/4mL syringe
Group A Streptococcal Infections
<27 kg: 600,000 unit IM x1 (AHA guidelines 2009)
27 kg or greater: 1.2 million units IM x1 (AHA guidelines 2009)”
computer777 -“It is wrong to hold down an older kid. It’s very traumatic.
He doesn’t seem traumatized at all.”
Because he has gotten used to being traumatized -doesn’t mean that you can/should keep doing it. I’m not a mental health expert, but this seems like boderline abuse, esp. when there are other methods to accomplish this.
Aries & other experts your opinion?
“I certainly wouldn’t make this up. I assumed that he should be able to get one injection and so I asked for it, but the doctors office told me he would need one every day.”
Yes, you can give one shot of Penicillin G. Now it’s possible that the Doc’s staff made what you said up and if you asked the Doc directly he/she would say what I posted, it’s irrevelant. The Doc is responsible for them. So whether the Doc is incompetent or his/her staff is -if I were you I’d seek another Doctor. Most are competent!
Chuckle chuckle…..
computer777 -“And I’m very happy with the doctor I use, and see no reason to change.”
Incompetence is a good reason to change. There is an old saying -“better safe than sorry”. And also -“forewarned is forearmed.”
Remember you can’t change the past -so don’t do something in the here and now that you might come to regret the rest of your life.
computer777 -“Very good advice. And that includes not changing doctors simply because an anonymous poster who knows nothing about my kids doctor has decided she is incompetent.”
I agree. You should not take advice here without checking it out.
So go find another Medical Practioner who is competent (I’m sure you can find one -ask around -like your friends and/or family) and when you find one -tell him/her what you posted here. You might be surprised and they might agree with what I said.
G-luck to you!
How come kids can swallow a nickel and calmly tell you about it, yet when you approach them with a teaspoon of cherry red liquid, they run around the living room, up the stairs, back down the stairs, and out the door carrying on like they just saw the Boogy Man?
computer777 -“Health: I know the info you gave me is correct and the info I got from the doc is incorrect.”
Well how do you know the info you got fron an anon. blogger (me)is correct?
Because everyone has access to Google.
CAD – Uh -What’s a google? I dunno. Is it a book or something on the net?
we had the same problem. we learned to ask for medicine that the child liked as long as it addressed the issue. when we had no choice, we would give it together with ice cream. a drop of medicine on the spoon together with a drop of medicine and slowly the whole dose went down. it worked every time.
“What I did to my kids during the “terrible twos” & sometimes these “terrible twos” last to 4-6 years of age – I’d hold them down and pour the medicine into their mouth. So what is to stop them from spitting it out? Simply, because as soon as I poured it in – I squeezed both sides of the mouth together.”
talk about traumatizing children. This sounds like abuse to me!
72 – I guess your kids had perfect behavior even when they were two. If you said to them -“Take this medicine” -they responded –
“Sir, yes Sir!”. What DID you do to them to instill such fear in them?
computer777 -“Well said.”
Thanks.
I’m still of the opinion you should ask a medical professional about staying with this pediatrician. Even though I’m a medical professional -it’s really impossible to judge up another one by blogs. You need to discuss this in person. Don’t you have an internist that you use that you can ask their opinion about this?
I’m still of the opinion you should seek medical information from a known medical professional and not from this or other non-reliable medical blogs.
With that said, I use the mayo clinic website as my first stop in online medical advice/knowledge shopping – but I rely on my Doctors for the actual treatment programs and to clarify all questions that I may have.
I think that this blog can be used as a support group for individuals seeking others going through similar situations to discuss various associated issues.
there is the diabetes support group, Celiac just started. there was one for clubfoot another for depression…
I have enough confidence in the readers and posters in this blog that they know how to search reliable sites and when to ask a known medical professional and not to rely on any medical advice given here.
YW Moderator-72 -“I’m still of the opinion you should seek medical information from a known medical professional and not from this or other non-reliable medical blogs.”
Really, is this your opinion? You must have never told us your opinion before. (Not)
Anyway, thanks for sharing!
Health
Member
“Really, is this your opinion?”
yes, it is my opinion. Another one of my opinions is never to rely upon the opinions of an anonymous self described student of health sciences.
“You must have never told us your opinion before. (Not)”
and you have told us your opinions.
“Anyway, thanks for sharing!”
it was my pleasure and is this the new and improved, milder you? You were a bit snarky with the “not” comment but not nearly as down right nasty as you usually are. keep it up!
72 -“yes, it is my opinion. Another one of my opinions is never to rely upon the opinions of an anonymous self described student of health sciences.”
And this opinion you also have never shared before! (Not.)
“and you have told us your opinions.”
Well at least I tell new ones every once in awhile, not just repeat the same old -same old.
“is this the new and improved, milder you?”
No, I’m still the same, just the Mods have a new stricter policy, at least when it comes to regular posters. I don’t know if the policy applies to former Mods.
72 – Once again my thoughts exactly. Keep up the good work health!
We must also be mindful of the Kashrus status of medicines, especially liquids. Many are sweetened with glycerin, treif flavors to make it desirable. That is a major problem especially if it is not life threatening issues. There is not blanket “heter” that if it is medicine it is OK
1- Sometimes there is another brand or non brand which accomplishes the same which is not problematic. The one is absolutely obligated to use the better one.
2- Sometimes it is absolutely necessary and we need to take away the pleasurable taste.
Ask before swallowing!!
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