OT - help DS take yuckky medicine???

[meandtheguys2]

We routinely bribed with a Hershey Kiss. I only had one that really had difficulties. And he vomited the prednisone 3 times. He eagerly learned how to take the pill.

MSSANDRA, control worked well with two of mine. The other perseverated about every last detail. Gotta love how none of them came with their own instruction manuals!!!

 

[CastleCreations]

OK, I know this is way off topic, but I need help. My DS7 needs to take some liquid medicine (2 t, 3x day) and he wanted it flavored grape (at the pharmacy) so that's what we got. Well, guess what...he took one teeny taste and said it was horrible...proceed to throw a huge fit...and after we finally mixed it with some real grape juice (hoping to make it taste better) he ended up throwing up the medicine plus everything else he had to eat for dinner. Poor thing, he got so worked up - it was just awful. FYI, he is not really sick sick, but he may have a skin infection (cellulitis) and the Dr. wants him to take the antibiotic just to be safe... I am not in favor of taking antibiotics frivolously, but he has had cellulitis once before, and it can be pretty serious. Soooo.... any suggestions for helping the medicine go down (a la Mary Poppins) ???

Yes, cellulitis can be very serious. Have you thought about getting the medication in pill form. If your ds cannot swallow pills, they can most likely be crushed and put in some applesauce...good luck

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

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.

Exactly, I would really like to know how you would be so sure that your child would "never do it again." We tried everything, but to a 2 year old in the hospital it is all about control. The nurses couldn't give him meds (even with a papoose board, he would spit them out, back of the throat thing didn't work), I couldn't do it, Dh couldn't do it. Eventually we would find different tricks for different meds, but we never found one for tylenol. To this day, he will take anything no matter how nasty it is without a fight, EXCEPT tylenol (which isn't a big deal because he can have motrin now). But if you have some secret way of teaching a 2-3 year old to take meds PLEASE SHARE!

And I said what I did because in your first post you mentioned "shoving them in" and of course your other comment that I already addressed. If you wanted to come across as a compassionate nurse with many "accolades", it didn't happen. So I'm sorry I got on my soapbox, but in our experiences we've had awesome nurses and just plain bad nurses and I get upset when I think that someone with little compassion for children's feelings are working with them and that is how your post came across. Sorry if it was misinterpreted, but a better choice of words and some more clarification would take care of that.

 

[dansamy]

I am a pediatric nurse with three children of my own. I've been blessed to have children who will take their medicine. Although, in our house, they know there's no option. Take it or mom will be calling the MD to get a script for a shot instead. And dad will hold while I give it. In the hospital setting, I prefer to hand the syring or cup to mom for her to give to the child. Most of the time that works best. We've had children who will only take medicine if it's "hidden" in applesauce or yogurt. This works well for pills that we can't crush. Chocolate syrup is good for liquids. Some kids just won't take it. That's when we get the route changed, if available, to rectal, IV or injection.

 

[robinb]

In the hospital setting, I prefer to hand the syring or cup to mom for her to give to the child. Most of the time that works best.

Of course it does. You're not the "bad guy". I assume that you mean the liquid meds by "syringe" rather than a needle.

 

[Daydreamer64]

To the OP- have you tried any of these suggestions and have they worked for you?

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!"

Thank you -

Exactly, I would really like to know how you would be so sure that your child would "never do it again."
And I said what I did because in your first post you mentioned "shoving them in" and of course your other comment that I already addressed. If you wanted to come across as a compassionate nurse with many "accolades", it didn't happen. A better choice of words and some more clarification would take care of that.

Again, thank you -

EpcotGuy --

It's too late for back paddling.....You can boast of all of your glories and awards, I'm sure they make you happy. However, correct interpretation or not on my behalf, I think your true feelings came through loud and clear in you first post. "Shoving them in" and "they wouldn't do it again" are not really open to too many ways of interpretation- these words sound aggressive toward the patient and dismissive of children's fears.

I'm sorry that it does appear to be an issue for you to give medication to a frightened child - for you to have used such strong words to convey your opinion........Not that I expect, nor want you to care, I am a parent who has three special needs children, who have been through the ER on many occasions on our way to admissions, it frightens me to think that our nurses may be feeling the same way as you to just "shove" the medication into a child who better not "barf", to use your medical term, it up on them. Maybe it would be better if you do not have to administer medication to children. I hope you do not ever have to work in a children's hospital, or especially work with terminally ill children again- I wouldn't want you to be forced to endure the mediation battles-

I am still waiting to hear how to make sure that the child "wouldn't do it again" please do share so that we "soapbox people" can learn how to do this. Maybe duct tape would work?

As a soapbox person, I would also like to state, that I was truely feeling distressed about your apparent attitude- I guess I was correct in my initial interpretation, as your true character did show through yet again in your follow up post. I did not dismiss your advice. A spoon full of sugar may make the medicine go down, but it's still medicine, and anyway that you try to "make it right", doesn't change your origional statements.

If you feel that the "As usual , some disers get on a soapbox and only read or interpret things the way they want to" people, are pulling out their soapboxes, then maybe, just maybe- keep an open mind for just a second, if this is the regular response that you encounter to your posts, you may want to try to figure out why this is happening to you.

I have better things to do then try to help you understand why your friends are not wanting to play word games with you right now . I'm putting my soapbox away, for now, I know you are relieved, I have to go give medication to my terminally ill child - I will not engage you in word games from this point on. This game bores me and I have better things to do with my time. Thanks for playing.

 

[dansamy]

Of course it does. You're not the "bad guy". I assume that you mean the liquid meds by "syringe" rather than a needle.

Not at all. If mom isn't able to or comfortable with administering the med, then by all means I do it. Most kids though will reluctantly take it from mom while they'll fight the staff like a wildcat. (We refer to it as a case of "nursitis". "Anyone with scrubs and a stehoscope is here to hurt me or make me do something I don't want.") I had the cutest little girl absolutely beat the heck out of me over taking her temp. As soon as mom got there (kid came with dad, who she also beat up), kidlet calmed down and let mom take the temp. I am all for doing it via the method best for your child. If that means I teach you how to give a particular medication, so be it. And yes, we do put liquid meds in a syringe. I think I said syringe, although I am a bad typist and dropped the "e". Many apologies.

When I have a child of a "reasonable" age come in that I can explain things to them, I talk primarily to the child. I sit on the bed, look at them when I speak to them and explain everything I do before I do it. Does that make starting an IV any less painful? No, but it will help them understand why they have to be still so that I can start it. I ask them if they need help holding still and if they want mommy to do that. (Some parents are not able to help their child though due to their own needle-phobias. Then, either an aide or another nurse will help hold the patient still.) I do my best to make things less painful, less scary and less yucky, but in the real world of hospitals, doctors and nurses, certain things must be accomplished in order to diagnose or treat a patient and most of them are not pleasant. Those things that I can't make better, I try to soothe afterwards with anything I can use: popsicles, icees, pudding, playing a video game, crayons and a coloring page, etc. It's not a perfect system, but rest assured most nurses care about their patients and their patients' comfort.

 

[EpcotGuy]

Of course it does. You're not the "bad guy". I assume that you mean the liquid meds by "syringe" rather than a needle.

oral liquid medication placed in a syringe. No one likes injections.. well... if you do, you might have something wrong

 

[EpcotGuy]

I am done with being attacked by people. If you don't like what I had to say, ignore me. That's what I plan on doing with you. Attacking me isn't going to answer the OP's question.
I gave my professional advice.. take it or leave it.
I will not be reading this thread any longer.
OP - I hope you find a trick that works for you and your child!

 

[robinb]

oral liquid medication placed in a syringe. No one likes injections.. well... if you do, you might have something wrong

I don't know why you're laughing at me. I thought that hypodermic syringes are used for injections too. Am I wrong? I was going to be shocked if dansamy asked parents to do that too which was why I said I assumed that she was talking about syringes for liquids (BTW, dansamy I didn't mean to be snarky about spelling and typos! I'm the worst at that kind of thing .).

FWIW, as I said earlier on this thread both my 7-year old DD and I prefer an antibiotic injection. She hates taking meds and I hate trying to remember to administer them 3 times a day. She gets a quick shot and it's all good.

 

[dansamy]

Actually, most non-squeamish parents can easily be taught to give an injection. However, we usually give injections since parents are not usually comfortable with that. If a kid is a new-onset diabetic though, mom and dad have to suck it up and learn to check their kid's blood sugar and accurately dose their insulin and administer it. It's one of those things you just have to deal with if it ends up coming your way.