If your child has to take medicines every day, it can be a real challenge to get them to take them. Here are some tricks to make the task easier for you.
Steps
Step 1. Customize the approach based on your child's age
The way you try to persuade a seven-year-old will be very different from that used for a two or three-year-old. Unless your child is behaving particularly immature for their actual age. Explain that it is important to take the prescribed medications. Reward him for doing well. It is not out of the question to try to "bribe" him every now and then.
Step 2. Stop using oral or chewable liquid medicines
They taste bad and contain far too much saccharin and cochineal, in short, who likes them? Teach him to swallow the pills. You can, and should, start doing this from the age of four (read the "Tips" section).
Step 3. If you really have to give him liquid medicines, at least opt for the flavored ones
You can find them at the pharmacy and, if they allow you to spare you whims and various stresses, they are actually worth trying. The flavors are varied, for example you can find those with cherry or strawberry. Remember that every kid is different. For one you may need to add some water to the liquid medicine, for another you should give some water or sugar-free fruit juice right after taking the medicine.
Step 4. Once the medicine is taken, give him some chocolate that can easily melt in the mouth
If the baby is over a year old, you can give him a piece of chocolate after taking a bad tasting drug. Prepare it in advance so it won't have to wait. You can also use chocolate syrup, which is thick enough to create a kind of coating in the mouth, hiding the bitterness of certain medications. Consider his tastes.
Step 5. Find out why the child does not want to take the drug (if he is over the age of five)
The child may have a legitimate reason, but may not be able to express it adequately. Children may experience certain reactions to ingredients without knowing why; for example, it can happen with monosodium glutamate and nitrates contained in certain foods. Medicines may also have side effects that can make your child feel bad. Read the "Tips" section to find out more.
Step 6. This method will be your last resort (only use this technique if not taking the medicine could trigger immediately harmful effects):
- Lay the baby on the ground (this action may require two people to take action if the baby is fidgeting). Keep his head between your knees; his legs should be stretched to the floor.
- Use your knees to hold the baby's head still. Pay attention; you don't have to squeeze it, just hold it steady. This way, you will have both hands free to administer the drug.
- Close the baby's nose with one hand and administer the medicine with the other. Don't let go until you have swallowed it. When you plug your nose, you must immediately open his mouth so that he can breathe. With a stuffy nose, he'll have to swallow, or he might choke. However, we repeat that this should be a last resort, a temporary measure until you can rely on a better solution.
- Do not praise the child after using this technique. It should in fact be used for desperate situations. Giving him credit will only encourage a repeat of the same episode.
Advice
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Start getting him used to when he's not sick. It starts once he turns four. Physiologically, the jaw is changing its shape, facilitating the ingestion of foods typically consumed by adults. Psychologically, he wants to experience things "when he grows up", not to be treated like a child.
- Turn it into a game, working on it a little at a time. Start by showing him a coin; Explain to him that his throat is roughly this size, and yours was when you were his age as well. Try to find items smaller than the coin, roughly the same size as a pill. In this way, you will strengthen the images imprinted in his mind. Never tell him that a pill is too big for him to swallow. It may be more difficult for the shape or texture, but not for the fit. Unless it is bigger than a coin, it will have no problem swallowing it.
- Next time you go grocery shopping, ask him if he prefers chocolate or peanut M & M's. Let him choose and put the package in a separate bag, which he will take home himself. Pour them into a bowl that will be all yours. Help him sort out all the green M & M's and store them in another container. Put away the first used bowl. Explain to him that he is learning how to take drugs "when he grows up", and that he will no longer have to take drugs for children. Use the green M & M's to practice. Ask him to swallow a couple a day. When they are finished, he can be rewarded with those placed in the first bowl.
- Practice for several days to get used to it. Show him how to place the pill on the back of his tongue, take a sip of water, and swallow. Do not be in a hurry: he will have to learn to use the language in a different way. When a baby is nursed or drinks from a bottle, it pushes its tongue towards the roof of the mouth, this to let the milk out and ingest it. Once he has to take a medicine, he will end up with a pill that sticks, melts and tastes awful. He must learn to keep his tongue down when he swallows. Never insist or blame him. Praise him for the attempt and reassure him that, by practicing, he will succeed. Keep your promise to give him the rest of the M & M's - he earned them.
- Remember to give the right dose of the medicine at the time you should. Only use medications that are appropriate for your child's situation.
- If the drug package insert upsets you, you may never want to take anything again. However, remember that homeopathic remedies can also have side effects. In any case, the leaflet must be read. If it says there is a 2% chance that a certain side effect will occur, don't underestimate it, but don't freak out either. Sometimes patients are allergic or sensitive to an inactive ingredient in a medicine, such as a preservative or dye. If your child has ADHD and is sensitive to cochineal red, then the one in amoxicillin may be bothering them.
- Before giving the drug, ask him to help you count the pills or stick stickers on the package to distract him.
- Teaching your child to take pills on their own will make your life easier: no more measuring cups, syrups to put in the refrigerator or fights and spills caused by the bad taste of the medicine.
- If you are unsure about a drug, talk to your pharmacist and doctor.
- If your child is older but refuses to take a drug and you suspect this is due to reasons beyond the bad taste, ask. First, read the package insert. Research ingredients on the internet or by going to the library and consulting books. Afterwards, talk to your pharmacist and the child's doctor. In this way, you will be aware of the side effects and interactions that certain medicines have with other drugs, foods, etc. Plus, you'll get information you never would have looked for. Read everything with caution. If you don't understand some words, ask a professional for clarification.
- Some pediatricians resist when asked to prescribe pills or capsules. Most of these doctors seem programmed to prescribe liquid versions of the drugs. A good part of the doses can be converted or are already equivalent. For example, if your child takes a dose of amoxicillin in syrup form equal to 250 mg, the capsules of the drug themselves contain the same concentration. Therefore, the result will be the same, with no therapeutic differences. To avoid misunderstandings at the pharmacy, ask the pediatrician to indicate that these are pills or capsules on the prescription, so that they can give you the right version of the medicine. Learn to read medical prescriptions. If your pediatrician says it doesn't matter what type of medication you will be given at the pharmacy, insist that you specify it in detail. The pharmacist can also write down your preferences regarding the version of the drug they will sell you.
- All medicines have side effects, some positive, some negative. This is the point. Taking the amoxicillin example, this drug has a good (and desired) side effect; that is, it causes the infection to grow too fast (bacteriostatic action), weakening it and allowing the body's own immune system to defeat the virus. It is not the drug itself that kills him. Some of the negative (unwanted) side effects could be the following: nausea, diarrhea, hives, candida, shortness of breath, throat enlargement and anaphylaxis. They don't happen to everyone, they're just possible.
- If you notice a possible side effect or interaction, contact your pharmacist and discuss it with him. He is an expert on the subject. He has knowledge and experience, so he can help you determine if your observation makes sense, to offer you alternatives. Take notes so you can communicate clearly with your doctor and use the same language as the doctor.
- Talk to your doctor only after talking to your pharmacist. Insist on getting answers, but be patient - it's impossible for a doctor to keep in mind all the information about side effects and interactions. You may need to do some research to look at a small reaction triggered by the drug. Don't be discouraged if she ignores what you say. He may think you are doubting his diagnostic and prescribing abilities. Doctors are trained to be confident in their decisions, but like everyone, they can make mistakes. If you are not satisfied, you could change it, or at least ask for a second opinion.
Warnings
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Never break, crush or dissolve a capsule or pill without first asking your pharmacist for advice. More and more medicines work gradually. The action can become unstable if the structure of the drug is changed.
The result could be dangerous, because the drug may act too fast and erratically or it may not enter the system at all
