It's hard getting kids to take medicine

14 years ago

I had forgotten how hard it is to get children to take their medicine. I have two grandchildren home with me today with strep. One is nine and her meds were a chewable ibuprophen and an antibiotic which was in a capsule, taken apart and sprinkled in ice cream. It was so hard to get her to eat the ice cream with extra sprinkles and chocolate syrup because she knew she had her meds in it. The three year old simply refused to take her antibiotic, a liquid, which I tried to disguise in orange juice, Dr. Pepper, and Kool Aid - it didn't work. Finally, her mom and dad had to force feed her. Later she called me and was so proud that she took her meds - she didn't know I knew she had to be forced. Now she is going to be with me tomorrow - how am I going to get her to take the antibiotic???

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Comments (5)

luvstocraft
14 years ago
Bebe, can you just use an eyedropper and squirt the liquid medicine in her mouth? Little GD takes her's that way pretty well.

For the older one, I'd try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich--but just put the medicine in one spot, not all over the sandwich. That way if it has an odd taste it will be only for one bite and the next bite will take it away!

Anj has four young'uns--maybe she will have some tips for you. Good luck! ;o)

Luvs
paintingfool
Original Author
14 years ago
Ok, the older one drank her orange juice this morning without knowing her meds were in it. At the end she was told that I am the one that suggested it and she said that was pretty smart of me because she didn't taste anything.

Now the little one. I think we will have to force it tonight as she won't drink anything with even 1/8th of the meds in it. I don't want to waste the medicine so if she won't drink or eat today, she will have to be forced tonight. We use something that looks like an eyedropper but it has measurements on the side. She will take the motrin grape flavor but not the antibiotic.

It is good that women don't have children when they are older - this exhausts me.
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anjabee
14 years ago
Sorry, I have no advice....mine just usually take theirs. If it's really nasty I'll give them a coke that they can drink down right after. They don't get soft drinks very often so it's a treat for them that they'll swallow the meds for. Good luck Bebe and hope they feel better quickly so you can recover. ha ~Anj
paintingfool
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, the three year old hardly ate at all today but she has no fever. We tried soda, candy, gum, juice, spiking her drinks, etc., so far nothing worked so we had no choice but to force her to take it. She cried - we tried hard not to - and then I gave her free rein in my jewelry box and she forgot what happened. Just a few more days of it and she won't have to take any more.
luvstocraft
14 years ago
I know that was hard for you having to force her to take it--but you gotta do what you gotta do! I totally agree about older women not having kids--as much as I love having my little GD over to play--I'm wiped out after I take her home too! LOL

You're gonna need some quiet painting time to rest up when this is all over!

Luvs