Kids Sick...Need Advice

[mjaclyn]

Does anyone have any advice on how to get a 2 year old to take medicine? Both of my kids are sick, DD4 has a mild case of pneumonia (sounds like most of the podcast crew) and DS2 just came down with similar symptoms. High fever, bad cough, runny nose, etc.. His fever is almost 103 and I have tried everything to get him to take his medicine. I've tried giving him chewables, meltaways and liquid in a dropper. As soon as anything touches his lips he gags himself and vomits. I know he does not have a stomach flu because he will eat other things and not make himself sick. This is only with the medicine. What concerns me most is that if the doctor prescribes an antibiotic that is something he HAS to take in order to get better. I've even tried adding the medicine to his bottle, ice cream, you name it.. he won't take it. I am desperate for advice on this issue because he is going to have to take it at some point and even when DH and I physically hold him down and try to force him to take it, he spits it out.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I do not envy your position. BTDT

We used bribery.

 

[tiggger1]

does he take a binkie? if so have you tried the binky medicine dispenser?

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

Feverall suppositories

 

[Kellydelly]

I would quit forcing the acetaminophen or ibuprofen and just make the 2 yr old comfortable . You are traumatizing him with meds that he doesn't really need. A fever under 103 does not need to be treated, his body is fighting the illness naturally. Use a humidifier, try getting fluids and chicken soup in him and leave him alone . The more you push, the more the toddler will react negatively. Hopefully antibiotics will not be needed. Hope the sickies leave your house FAST!

 

[mjaclyn]

He doesn't use a pacifier anymore. We got rid of it weeks ago so I'm not even sure he would take it again. Honestly, it was really difficult to get him to stop using it so I'd hate to go down that road again!

I usually don't give medicine unless my kids are uncomfortable or have a really high fever. DD had a 104 fever over the weekend that wouldn't go down so I did give her medicine for that. She also had a febrile seizure when she was around the same age as DS, so that also is a concern. DS is miserable when he is sick. I not only want to give him medicine to get the fever down but to also make him comfortable.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

Or try hiding it in soda. Or if you have to hold him down, there is a way to pinch their cheeks that they have no choice but to swallow. It's hard to explain but it's how the nurse in the hospital taught me when my 2 year old is fighting. Maybe the nurse at your pedi can show you .

 

[golfgal]

I would quit forcing the acetaminophen or ibuprofen and just make the 2 yr old comfortable . You are traumatizing him with meds that he doesn't really need. A fever under 103 does not need to be treated, his body is fighting the illness naturally. Use a humidifier, try getting fluids and chicken soup in him and leave him alone . The more you push, the more the toddler will react negatively. Hopefully antibiotics will not be needed. Hope the sickies leave your house FAST!

When my kids had higher fevers they FELT bad so they got tylenol. It wasn't to bring down the fever, it was to help them FEEL better

Op, I would say suppositories as well. Sometimes you just don't have a choice. If you do take him in, explain to the dr that he vomits when he takes medicine and he may give him a shot vs oral antibiotics. Once when DS18 had an unexplained 105 fever they did that for him (he took meds well but they wanted rapid results). That was all he needed.

 

[malibuconlee]

DD 2 1/2 takes medicine pretty well now, but in the past it was a fight. I would literally hold her down, use the syringe to squeeze it in her mouth (make sure you have it past the teeth!), then shut her mouth. She would swallow after that. Pretty? No? Effective? Yes!

I have that kid that for months last year if there was strep around she found it! She also had the flu during the summer, and a few ear infections. So she had more antibiotics than I liked. Never put it into food because what if she refused it? She would miss a dose, or be short one.

 

[FredinFL]

I used to tell my kids they take the medicine or we go down to the doctors and they'll give it to them in a shot instead. So far, they've always chosen to take the medicine.

 

[itsheresomewhere]

Warm root beer hides most medicines. Also, a teaspoon of chocolate syrup hides some.

 

[ENSOCK]

I feel for you. My DS11 is still like that. The only thing he will take is a pill. We used to have to hold him down and force him to take it. Of course he is the child who had to have 6 sets of tubes. Now if he is sick he will ask the doctor for pills. Good luck!

 

[FredinFL]

Also, my kids hated grape flavor, they didn't particularly like the berry flavor, but they liked the bubblegum flavor, a keep it in the fridge so it's cold. If you are going Ibuprofen, try liquid bubblegum flavor from Walmart (equate brand) the other thing you could try is if you can find the Motrin jr. tablets, they are teeny tiny and the babe may be able to swallow them whole. My kids moved on to these early on. The trick is to find them now.

I now use a pill cutter for the younger one and cut the adult caplets in half.

 

[aladams2]

My mom use to mix my brother's medicine in pudding. He never knew what hit him!!

 

[clh2]

It was suggested to me to use a small amount (maybe a tablespoon or two of chocolate milk) It worked for DD.

The most meds she tool at any "episode of care" were related to when she had her tonsils out at 4 YO. The ped nurses suggested the chocolate milk trick.

Another thing that worked for DD - she liked to "pick the time" that she would take her meds. She usually picked "in 100 minutes" so I would set the timer for 10 minutes, and then she took her medicine. It was like SHE was in charge of the decision to take it. (Of course - since she was only 4 at the time... I was able to really do it when I wanted to anyways.) So - no harm - no foul - she got the meds needed after her tonsils came out.

Life got so much better when she figured out how to swallow pills.

One other time she needed meds - she was in a green-medicine mood. Good mom that I am - I made the meds green! I wouldn't necessarily recommend this...but - sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!

 

[The_Alice]

Our youngest is ASD and what we have found if we do one tiny little drop between his gum and cheek, and then follow it with juice or water he can usually choke it down. We also have hidden it in juice that will mask the flavor like OJ or Grape.

 

[Poohforyou]

Since DD was a toddler I have put medicine in one of those measuring spoons that look like a test tube and add a squirt of Hershey chocolate syrup. DD can then control how quickly or slowly she wants to take it. Giving that control to her plus a little chocolate helps a lot.

 

[sunnyday123]

I hid it in grape juice or orange juice. I also told her if she didn't take it, we were going to the hospital so she could get it in a needle.

A Dr. at the ER ( we were in a slight fender bender ) told me to not sugar coat it, just tell it like it is. If you have a high fever and won't take your medicine, you will end up with a needle somewhere. Of course, this is the same Dr. who, when she refused to open her mouth so he could take her temperture, told her, "It either goes in your mouth, or up your butt."

She opened her mouth.

And her ped advised the same thing. When she was younger, she couldn't afford to lose any weight, so it was important to get whatever she had to take in her, asap. And she would've ended up in the ER if she didn't.

Honestly, I don't like fevers that high either, so medicine would be going in one end or the other. Good luck.

 

[The_Alice]

Of course, this is the same Dr. who, when she refused to open her mouth so he could take her temperture, told her, "It either goes in your mouth, or up your butt."

She opened her mouth.

That is hysterical, I'm using that one!

 

[pls5286]

Applesauce usually works pretty good.