How do you get your child to take medicine (they don't like)

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zeldapsychology
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21 Aug 2010, 9:15 pm

As usual yelling and arguing over this medicine (you know my parents behavior routine by now) So I wanted other parents views on the "take medicine" stance I'm going to bust your ass if you don't take it" Her whining etc. etc. (This is the home I live in it's HELL!) LOL! Oh and threats to be spanked LOVELY!



n4mwd
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21 Aug 2010, 9:45 pm

Honestly, it depends on the reason. If its because it tastes funny, then try peanut butter or jelly. If its because it makes them sick, then you need to listen to them.



Mudboy
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21 Aug 2010, 9:51 pm

Some pharmacies have flavors to make it not so bad. Other ideas are a bit of fruit or sweet to make the bad taste go away. Marry Poppins knew.


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angelbear
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21 Aug 2010, 10:00 pm

I am not sure why my son won't take children's ibuprofen, because it tastes like bubble gum. But I have bribed him and told him that he could have a lollipop or a popsicle if he would take the medicine. That has worked a few times. He is only 5 though.

I also mixed his antibiotics that was sort of banana flavored in with some cranberry/pomegranite juice. It has a very tart flavor, and sort of masks other flavors. He didn't even taste the medicine.

Good luck!



buryuntime
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21 Aug 2010, 10:01 pm

n4mwd wrote:
Honestly, it depends on the reason. If its because it tastes funny, then try peanut butter or jelly. If its because it makes them sick, then you need to listen to them.

Putting peanutbutter and jelly in the medication?? I've never heard of this.



Dilbert
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21 Aug 2010, 10:03 pm

"I'll leave this candy here on the counter, but you can't eat it because it isn't yours. Okay sweetie?! See you when we get back. Bye!"



Mudboy
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21 Aug 2010, 10:08 pm

Dilbert wrote:
"I'll leave this candy here on the counter, but you can't eat it because it isn't yours. Okay sweetie?! See you when we get back. Bye!"
OD. Just like medicine that tastes too good.


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StatMama
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21 Aug 2010, 10:13 pm

As someone else mentioned, many pharmacies do offer flavorings for liquid medications. They work great! Bribes work, too. Usually my children take medication if they need it, but when it is a struggle I usually offer to let them watch a video, play a game, or have a little treat (popcicles are nice when they aren't feeling well) if they take their medicine. Works every time.


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Dilbert
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21 Aug 2010, 10:33 pm

Mudboy wrote:
Dilbert wrote:
"I'll leave this candy here on the counter, but you can't eat it because it isn't yours. Okay sweetie?! See you when we get back. Bye!"
OD. Just like medicine that tastes too good.


Please give me some credit, OK? I understand this is the Internet where everyone assumes everyone else is an idiot. But still, do you really think I was suggesting to leave an entire bottle of medicine? Leave just one dose and tell the kid they can't have it. It will be eaten/drank before you know it.

Sure, it won't work for really well behaved kids. A parent would know if this would work for their kid or not.

Reverse psychology: it works on kids better than anything else.



PunkyKat
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21 Aug 2010, 11:21 pm

buryuntime wrote:
n4mwd wrote:
Honestly, it depends on the reason. If its because it tastes funny, then try peanut butter or jelly. If its because it makes them sick, then you need to listen to them.

Putting peanutbutter and jelly in the medication?? I've never heard of this.


I think she means to put the medication in the peanut butter and jelly.


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John_Browning
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21 Aug 2010, 11:58 pm

Dilbert wrote:
"I'll leave this candy here on the counter, but you can't eat it because it isn't yours. Okay sweetie?! See you when we get back. Bye!"

HOLD ON A MINUTE!! ! Make sure it is chewable. In the event you get them to chew something that isn't meant to be, it can potentially spike the medication's level in their bloodstream and cause them to overdose!


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Dilbert
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22 Aug 2010, 4:36 pm

And again... :roll:



pennywisezzz
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22 Aug 2010, 9:15 pm

My 8yr old daughter HATES to take liquid medicine and will avoid it at all costs! She hates it so much that she learned how to swallow pills from a young age, lol. I don't care what they say about chewable and flavored meds - they're still nasty as hell. Can they try her on pill-form? When my daughter was 6 I just explained to her that if she didn't want to taste the medicine then she was going to have to learn how to swallow a pill. The last straw was a grape flavored chewable tablet that almost gagged her to death it tasted so bad, after that she swore she was going to swallow pills from then on - and she did. :lol:

I don't know how your sister is, but when my daughter was younger she would fight like she was possessed and even if you managed to get it in her mouth, she would spit it everywhere afterwards. I had some success hiding liquid medicine in hot chocolate. I would mix the hot chocolate up strong so the chocolatey flavor would cover up the medicine taste. It worked for some medicine, but other medicines she would still taste.