Vent! DD Has Strep Throat and refuses to take her medicine!

[robinb]

My six year old can be a strong-willed child (*ahem* aka brat). Especially when she doesn't feel good. She has been home from school since Tuesday with a fever and I took her into the doctor yesterday. She has been fighting me about taking her Tylenol to bring down her fever all week. I bought the chewables and she hides them. I bought the liquid Tylenol and mixed it with OJ, but she wouldn't touch it. When the doctor prescribed an antibiotic yesterday while waiting for the quick Strep to come back, she asked my DD if she wanted liquid, chewable pills or a shot. My DD picked the chewables and I told the doctor about the Tylenol. The doctor stressed that she had to take this medication and Celia agreed.

Last night she threw 2 pills away in the garbage. I called the doctor and talked to a nurse who talked to my DD. She agreed to take the pills if she could eat frozen grapes with them. I did not keep my eye on her like a hawk (my bad, I know) so I am not sure if she ditched those too. This morning I gave her the grapes and pill again, turned off the TV and sat on the couch and waited. I told her she had the choice to eat the pills or get a shot that's going to hurt. My DD tried her best to annoy and pick a fight with me so I would turn my back, but it didn't work. After more than an hour one pill is missing (I don't know where it is) and the other is sitting on the table.

We have an appointment in 45 minutes for a painful shot in the butt.

*sigh*

 

[mickeyboat]

Emily has always given me a hard time about taking medicine. I can usually get her to take a chewable, after a lot of cajoling and fighting.

A shot in the butt! That should show her! Teaches her a valuable lesson about doing things we need to do, no matter how much we dislike them - and the consequences if we don't do it.

Our pharmacy can add any flavor to any liquid medication. I wonder if she was allowed to choose the flavor if she would take it next time. (I know it's a neat idea, but I am not sure it would work for my kid).

Good luck. I hope your DD is feeling better soon.

Denae

 

[Beth76]

Ooh, I'm sorry. When my son had strep, he was on amoxicillan and it tasted like bubble gum. He loved it! He actually kept asking me to have more. I hope you can figure out a way to get her to take it. Did you tell her that if she doesn't take it, she'll probably get sick again.

 

[robinb]

Yes. I showed her Strep Throat on the computer via Google and told her that she won't get well without taking her medication. I tried bribes, threats, yelling, begging, no TV ... she's sick and stubborn.

 

[chobie]

Oh how I wish I could had my kids just given a shot when they were younger and not take ther medicine. I could not get antibiotics down my DD when she was younger. My DH and I would hold her down and try to force down her and she would spit it out every time. We tried mixing in with things, bribing, threats nothing worked. It was horrible.

 

[robinb]

Oh how I wish I could had my kids just given a shot when they were younger and not take ther medicine. I could not get antibiotics down my DD when she was younger. My DH and I would hold her down and try to force down her and she would spit it out every time. We tried mixing in with things, bribing, threats nothing worked. It was horrible.

I'm sorry you had to go through that, but it makes me feel better that I am not the only one!

 

[Christine]

Oh, you are not the only one. My DD was TERRIBLE about medications. Even when she was 9 and had her tonsils out she REFUSED to take the painkillers they gave her. She is now 14 and has gotten better, but you can forget it if you want her to take a liquid cough syrup or anything like that.

I never quite got the whole stubborness thing. I used to LOVE the medications when I was a kid.

 

[punkin]

When I was a kid I had recurring strep and I would never take oral medication. It was the shot in the butt I preferred every time.

 

[Deb in IA]

Not to scare you, but there are serious long term complications with incompletely treated streptococcal infections, including rheumatic heart disease and neurologic problems.


If she won't take her meds, call your pediatrician and bring her in for an intramuscular penicilin G injection.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

When I was a kid I had recurring strep and I would never take oral medication. It was the shot in the butt I preferred every time.

I am also very odd, I would prefer the shot too! I think it was because the shot would hurt for a little but I would feel much better in a couple of hours. It wasn't that I hated taking the medicine, it was because the medicine took a day or two to really work. Or maybe I was just a weird kid.

 

[Olaf]

The threat of a shot in the bum always works with DS, but it can be all out war. Maybe the shot is going to be what it takes, and does it hurt. Although, if she's like DS, they'll have tie her down. At this point, I would just quit arguing with her and take her to the doctor. It's time to let her know who's boss and take control back.

 

[agnes!]

I am sorry you're going through this. It is never easy on us moms when our kids are sick.

That being said, when I was in elementary school I came down with a severe infection. I had to get a daily (and very painful) shot in my rear nether region of an antibiotic that has since been taken off the market because of some side effects. I would have gladly taken a pill, but because my infection was so severe, that was not an option.
Your DD should be grateful that she has a mom who cares so much.
She *should* be grateful that taking a pill is an option. I had a little blue stuffed dog that I cried into every single time I got those shots.
*And* I had to get them for two weeks.

By the way, does she understand that she cannot go back to school, cannot see her friends, cannot participate in life outside her home until she is no longer infectious? Does she understand that strep is not something to fool around with? Does she understand that if she did go out and was still infectious that she could make other people very VERY sick?

The TV would go away, in my house.
The computer games would go away in my house.
Whatever your DD likes, you have got to take it away. You have GOT to (metaphorically speaking) "hit her where she thinks".
Favorite toy? It is put in a "time-out" until she takes her medicine.
Hides her pills? How much do they cost per pill? Take *that* amount out of her piggy bank. Don't give it back until she has completed her course of medication.
Is there an activity planned for sometime soon, like going shopping or going to a friend's house? She *cannot* go. Period. Until she has taken her antibiotic for a certain number of DAYS.

good luck with her illness and also at the doctor's office,
agnes!

 

[Skylarr29]

Its very simple.... take her back to the doctor and make her get the shot. She will not egt better and she will and can spread it the rest of the family.



Also maybe I mean but I would just force it down or give a punishment for not taking it.


The shot woul dbe the quickest though and you would have to fight her 2x a day for liek 2 weeks. Call the doc and take her little butt back.

 

[becka]

I was *terrible* about not wanting to take medicine as a kid. By the time I was around 6-7 my Mom finally quit fighting, dragged me back to the doctors office and demanded I be given the shot. From then on until I was probably around 12-13 my Mom always insisted that I get the shot whenever I needed antibiotics no matter how badly I begged her not to and promised to take the medicine.

 

[Lynn CC]

When my son was about that age he hid his pills between his mattress. I didn't find out until I was doing Spring cleaning. He loved to stay home from school, so that delayed his recovery, that's the way some 6 yo think!
LOL

 

[robinb]

Not to scare you, but there are serious long term complications with incompletely treated streptococcal infections, including rheumatic heart disease and neurologic problems.


If she won't take her meds, call your pediatrician and bring her in for an intramuscular penicilin G injection.

Thanks Deb, You didn't scare me ... I already knew .

When I originally wrote about my frustration with my DD I already had an appointment for the shot. She had already made her choice by not taking the pills.

I'm back from the doctor's office.

My DH just came home on the red-eye from LA and he helped me put her, kicking and screaming in the car. She tried to stall by saying she wanted to put clothes on as I was ready to take her in her jammies. She ended up going out the door in 11-degree weather in her jammie top and underwear. I already had her socks, boots, coat and a blanket in the car (which was running) and I had to go back for pants. Stick a fork in me. I was done. She tried to resist getting out of the car, but finally figured out that resistance was futile and she went in quietly for her shot. She got a intra-muscular penicillin shot in the thigh while I held her. She was great about it and cried just as it was going in. It's shots from now on I think! Easier on both of us.

agnes!: I'm sorry you had to go though that . I was treated by an old-fashioned elderly doctor in the 70's for tonsillitis. The needles were the HUGE re-usable kind. I still remember when he said "Present your doopa!" to me. {{shudder}}. As for what my DD knows and understands. Well ... she's six. And she's sick. I had told her she was contagious and that she could not see her friends. I took away the TV and sent her to her room. It was just better for me not to fight with her since a "win" was getting her medicated.

Skylarr29: Force it down! There would be no way I could do that. She's way too strong! Believe me ... I've had an easier time pilling a cat.

 

[OhMari]

My son now 23 would never take his medicine either. He would throw everything back up the minute he would try to swallow. They took his tonsils and adnoids out at 2 so that stopped the throat infections.

I once had to give him Tylenol as an edama(sp). They do make it, you have to ask for it at the pharmacy.

 

[#1MMFan]

Yes. I showed her Strep Throat on the computer via Google and told her that she won't get well without taking her medication. I tried bribes, threats, yelling, begging, no TV ... she's sick and stubborn.

Wow, smart six year old. I can't say I know any child of that age who would pay attention to something like that on the internet. Anyways, no big deal; she doesn't take the antibiotic she soon learn that she won't feel better. Sometimes you have to make the mistakes yourself to learn from them. Just my opinion. I wouldn't stress over it.

 

[lbgraves]

DS was also one who just got the shot when we were in the office & it was strep. I was not going to do that battle twice a day for 10 days. It was much easier on him & me that way.

 

[Disney Doll]

I am sorry you're going through this. It is never easy on us moms when our kids are sick.

That being said, when I was in elementary school I came down with a severe infection. I had to get a daily (and very painful) shot in my rear nether region of an antibiotic that has since been taken off the market because of some side effects. I would have gladly taken a pill, but because my infection was so severe, that was not an option.
Your DD should be grateful that she has a mom who cares so much.
She *should* be grateful that taking a pill is an option. I had a little blue stuffed dog that I cried into every single time I got those shots.
*And* I had to get them for two weeks.

By the way, does she understand that she cannot go back to school, cannot see her friends, cannot participate in life outside her home until she is no longer infectious? Does she understand that strep is not something to fool around with? Does she understand that if she did go out and was still infectious that she could make other people very VERY sick?

The TV would go away, in my house.
The computer games would go away in my house.
Whatever your DD likes, you have got to take it away. You have GOT to (metaphorically speaking) "hit her where she thinks".
Favorite toy? It is put in a "time-out" until she takes her medicine.
Hides her pills? How much do they cost per pill? Take *that* amount out of her piggy bank. Don't give it back until she has completed her course of medication.
Is there an activity planned for sometime soon, like going shopping or going to a friend's house? She *cannot* go. Period. Until she has taken her antibiotic for a certain number of DAYS.

good luck with her illness and also at the doctor's office,
agnes!

You went to the same "mother school" as my mother!!! And yet, I turned out OK.