OT - help DS take yuckky medicine???

[D&D's Mom]

This doesn't really work well with liquids, but once they are able to swallow pills, but get some with a bad taste, try buying empty gel caps & cutting the pills (if needed, depending on size) & putting them into the gel caps. They go down smoothly with no taste. I have to do this for my 20 year old who has to take prednisone as part of his chemotherapy routine.

 

[grumpy28]

I second the chocolate pudding. Also, bribery works quite well.

 

[Daydreamer64]

I'm sorry, I need to address your comments. I have a very difficult time with an over active gag reflex.

As an ER nurse I have become quite adept at shoving liquid medications down kid's throats. !

Gosh, you sure do sound aggressive. "shoving" Do you have kids of your own?

And if it was my kid, and they worked themselved up into a frenzy where the barfed the med up, let me just say.... they wouldn't do it again!

I really hope that I am just reading this the wrong way-
Insinuating that the parent is not parenting this situation correctly and should be able to control this childs body??-

Throwing up is not a controlled or planned misbehavior. As a nurse you should already know that no matter what you do to a kid or any adult for that matter, barring extra doctor prescribed medication for nausea, you cannot make their body react to or not react to external/internal stimuli to fit your expectations. Some people are just more prown to over active gag reflexes.

I would hate to be beaten or what ever you would do to make sure that I didn't throw up again. Next time you have the flu or some other awful illness that causes vomiting, maybe you can let the OP know how successful you were at keeping your vomit in your stomach once the gag reflexes go into overdrive.

Kids cry, kids panic- a big person is making you eat something that your body is trying to reject because it senses that this is a poison - and yes, any medication can be poison when used in the wrong strengths or when taking too much. There is a reason that human beings do not like to eat bitter food- most poison berries, mushrooms, and plants found in the wild taste bitter- it's just instinctive for our offspring to avoid bitter tastes.

The poor kid does what they are forced to do and then their body says otherwise - unless the kids is putting their fingers into their mouth and throwing up on purpose..... I'm glad you are not my parent and hope you are never my nurse!

 

[TreslovesWDW]

This worked for my daughter, the nurse said to have her eat 3 skittles right after I put the medicine in her mouth. I have the hardest time with my 2 youngest and medicine. With my son we take a little than a drink till he takes it all. But the skittle thing really worked she said it is the fruit taste that helps with the yucky med taste. It was also fun for her to pick out her skittles and made a little game out of taking medicine then after it is all gone I gave her the rest of the bag.

 

[Tinklvr]

I am a pharmacist and my DD had to take Cleocin. I flavored it Strawberry banana because that was one of the recommended flavors. She took it but she is really good with medicine.

It does smell sooo bad. I always feel bad dispensing it to children because of the smell and taste, but there isnt really anything similar to it.

One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet is to give your son a popsicle or ice cube to suck on before the meds. It numbs the taste buds so it doesn't taste so bad.
Good luck.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

And if it was my kid, and they worked themselved up into a frenzy where the barfed the med up, let me just say.... they wouldn't do it again!

I'm just curious here, "as an ER nurse" exactly how would you handle your children throwing up meds because they're so upset? My son had cancer, do you think I should spank him (low platelets and all?) or otherwise punish a 2-3year old for not wanting to take tylenol to control his fever? Or do you think it would be wiser to just give him control with choices and using some of the previous posters tips to make it better for them?

I'm afraid I spend alot of time in the ER for various reason and if I encountered a nurse with such little compassion for children you would not only not touch my child, but I would be sure to file a complaint. I am my child's advocate and I won't allow them to be bullied.

 

[HenDuck]

We've done a lot of the suggestions, in different combos.

With a new liquid medicine that DS would normally balk at, we have a cup of juice on standby. As soon as I squirt the meds in, he tanks the juice.

One thing that is critical in our household, DS knows he will HAVE TO take whatever meds the doctor prescribes. So he usually gives in because I will continue to give it to him until he swallows it. For that reason, it's always ME that has to introduce the new medicine. (oh the joys of motherhood).

Also, I usually agree with him that meds don't always taste good. If he says it's yucky, I don't try to convince him otherwise. (But that doesn't mean he's not taking it. ).

And we have our own version of the yucky medicine dance too...

Also, we've been teaching DS to swallow small ice chips in preparation for pill taking. It started out as an accident. He kept swallowing ice but he wouldn't cry, so we started using it to our advantage.

Good luck!

 

[Jennifer823]

When my son was 9 he was on antibiotics for a few months awaiting surgery. He was horrible about taking the medicine, but giving him choices is what worked the best. Do you want it in a cup, or the syringe? Do you want milk right after or water? If he had a little bit of control it was much easier. Having him hold his nose while he took the stuff helped too, cause then he couldn't taste it. Also, I let him know that if he DIDN'T take the medicine, he would end up having to go to the hospital to get a SHOT instead of the medicine, but that was his choice. Good luck! (My son tried all the flavors they put in the medicine, too, and he said the best one was "chocolate banana.")

 

[shelly3girls]

I've also heard about chocolate syrup or mixing it with a spoonful of fruit preserves that come in a jar.

My DS was on really bad tasting medicine and the hospital who prescribed it recommended Hershey's Chocolate syrup. They said for some reason Hershey's works the best.

 

[fakereadhed]

I volunteer on a pediatric floor and saw the neatest thing! A nurse put the liquid medicine in a syringe and gave the child a glass of similar tasting juice with a straw...
As she squirted the syringe into the childs mouth while the child drank thru the straw...
It was pretty cool...and it worked.
HTH

THAT is a fabulous idea!

 

[mommyceratops]

Target adds flavor for free. But you have to watch out because sometimes they make them taste worse.
I bribe my kids......a piece of bubblegum after they do it, sometimes a cookie or a special treat. My DS gets shots every night and he gets to watch a special show while we do it. I limit their TV shows so this is a big deal in our house.
Bribery works best for me! Not the best parenting advise but I hate taking medicine myself.

 

[Jennabeth]

I knew what medicine this was even before I read it. My daughter had to take it when she was younger, and after the first dose I took it to the doctor and told him if HE could take it, I would continue to give it to my daughter. He took one sniff, made a face and prescribed something else. Good luck, that stuff is just horrible.

 

[AdventureGuru]

THAT is a fabulous idea!

Thanks!

 

[EpcotGuy]

As usual, some disers get on a soapbox and only read or interpret things the way they want to. Also, if an opionon or experience doesn't match yours, it is obviously wrong.
Meds can be given in other ways - rectally (like tylenol), or as an injecton. Prelone is super nasty. I can't cover it up with even chocolate syrup (which I buy with my own money and bring to work for children (I'm so heartless!)). A different steroid can be given as an injection - but typically children and parents hate injections even more! Typically oral medications are 3-10 ml per dose. Honestly, how could 3 ml (1/10 of an ounce), cause somone to vomit; even a 3 year old. And this is coming from someone who has a TERRIBLE gag reflex as an adult (I projectile vomit). Medicine is yucky.. I'm with you, but at times very necessary. The problem from my experience is parents are the ones more freaked out than the children. This causes the children to be even more scared, and then less receptive to whatever treatment we are trying to do. So if this means I have to wrap a child in a sheet to keep them still during a procedure (like getting a bubble gum ball out of a nose from an earlier thread, or sutures), or to get very needed medication down, I will continue to do so. This is not mean, this is reality - it is getting the child the treatment they need while keeping them safe from other injury. Yes, this makes me the "bad guy", but it needs to be done. So, go ahead and refuse to have the nurse "touch" your child, or "report" them. It's only freaking your kid out even more, and making everything worse.

Additionally since we are on the topic, I (and most of the other nurses I work with), attempt to get mom or dad to administer the oral medication to the child, as it is a lot less scary coming from a parent than a complete stranger. I personally prefer the syringe method: squirt it in the back of the mouth, so they dont have to taste it - gently pinch the cheeks closed so they don't spit it out. I have also been known to offer ice cream, popsicles or stickers as a reward for taking your medicine (it even works for adults a times!).

And as for the spanking a child with low platelets comment.. spanking a child in an ER when they are refusing to take medicine is just not going to work . plus insinuating that I would like to see a child bleed internally or suffer more is quite absurd. (and not that you really care, but I used to work with leukemic children who were pre and post bone marrow transplant, so I do know how to take care of a septic child with no white count and platelets so low that a sneeze could make them hemorrhage). I find your comment very insulting - but again, you dont know me - and I dont know you. maybe your comment came off differently than you intended (although i think it's hard to misintrepret - you would never touch my child, or I hope you are never my nurse).

So, perhaps if you care, re-read my first post. I advocated teaching children to take pills rather than liquid (refrigeration is no longer an issue, taste is rarely an issue and it's just all-around easier). yes, we are back to that gag problem... children (and adults) swallow food that is bigger than a pill. This does not cause them to gag and vomit. It is a psychological reaction, not a physiologic one. Work with your children if you can to swallow pills (vitamins?),so that when a medication is needed, it's less of a problem. Yes, I know infants and toddlers wont swallow a pill and liquids are needed. These arent the problem children. Its the older ones (and I have had 16 year olds say they cant swallow pills) that have the problem. Pills can also be broken or crushed (but that makes the taste waaaaaaaay worse).

I know this has been a rambling post, and thanks for bearing with me through it. I (and the other nurses I know) have only your child's best interest at heart. Try to listen to the advice we give when administering a medication, we have a lot of experience in giving them! We in turn should also listen to your advice because you know your own child's specific quirks.

And if you still dont like my nursing practice, I dont know what to say. I have received numerous accolades from patients, parents and staff for the kind, compassionate care I provide to my patients. I hope that the next nurse that takes care of your child has the same level of caring for them that I would give.

 

[EpcotGuy]

Btw - I like the yucky dance idea. I'll think about how I can get that to work with children at the hospital. . .

 

[TruBlu]

A syringe works best for us. I just give DS a little at a time until he gets it down. Then we use a "chaser". I let him have anything he wants... gummies, chocolate, soda. He usually chooses something that we normally limit. I would just keep trying until I found something that works for you.

Good luck!!

 

[D L and K's Mom]

We do this...

We bought quite a few silly straws at the dollar store. They just happen to fit on the end of the syringe. I fill up the syringe and DD sucks on the end of the straw..we watch it go round and round and then into her mouth. It works very well.

 

[MSSANDRA]

My thinking is to give him as much control as he can handle. Not taking the med can not be a choice but pretty much everything else can. Do you want it now or in five minutes?? Do you want to hold the cup or do you want me too?? Do you want chocolate milk or juice as the chaser?? Do you want to read a story or go to the play ground as soon as you take the med??

DS has had to take a lot of meds and sometimes nothing works too well. i have tried hidding the med. in food (mix with just a bite or two so it is sure to be eaten) , yes sometimes you do have to hold a child down to get the med down if there is no other methoid to administer and they MUST take the med. Then you confort and pray it stays down.

Ds leaned early to take pills and that helps. ALWAYS check bfore you chill or mix any medication.


prayers he get better fast!

 

[allyphoe]

maybe your comment came off differently than you intended

I'm guessing that it was your comment that came off differently than you intended. At least two people responded specifically to "if it was my kid, and they worked themselved up into a frenzy where the barfed the med up, let me just say.... they wouldn't do it again!" to ask exactly how you proposed to make that happen. They assumed spanking; when I was a kid, it would have been a cup of cold water thrown in your face mid-frenzy. Maybe you have some magical preschooler de-frenzy-fier.

I do agree with you that the parent's attitude is as big (or bigger) an influence on the child's behavior as the procedure itself.

 

[robinb]

I'm keeping some of these suggestions in mind ... my 7-year old DD refuses to take meds except the liquid Tylenol with the flavored sprinkles. I bet sugar or chocolate syrup would work just as well.

It was really bad when she had strep throat and she selected chewable pills over flavored liquid but ended up hiding them around the house. I finally caught on to her the next day and gave her an ultimatum: take the pills or get a shot. I hauled her butt into the car literally kicking and screaming to the doctor for the shot. She chose a shot the next time she needed an antibiotic too. I don't mind, though. It's over pretty fast and I don't have to remember to administer meds 3 times a day.