How to get Kids to Take Medicine: 6 helpful tips to know.
Often, it can be a challenging task to get a child to take medication. For some parents and carers, this can turn out to be the most difficult time of the day for both you and your child. Then, when you factor in issues like a tired and sick child, sore throats, a dislike of the flavour of medicine, or simply a cranky toddler, the difficulty of the task can escalate.
At Thomsons Lake Pharmacy we are here to help.
We've put together some advice from our pharmacists (who also happen to be parents of young children of varying ages) that may improve your technique and assist your child's attitude and resistance to taking medicine:
1. Use positive language:
Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of taking medicine, such as the taste or the fact that it's "yucky," use positive language to talk about it. For example, you could say that the medicine will help your child feel better or that it's a special medicine that only they get to take. Try to stay calm and reasonable and encourage the child to cooperate.
2. Mix it with their favourite drink or food:
One of the easiest ways to get kids to take medicine is to mix it with something they like, such as their favourite drink or food. You can mix the medicine with a small amount of juice, yogurt, or pudding to mask the taste. Always make sure to only mix the medicine in a small amount of drink or food in case your child does not want to finish all of the food or drink (which will then have some of the medicine in it thereby leading to them not getting the full required dose.
If you do intend using this method, always check with the pharmacist if there are any foods or drinks that the medicine can’t be mixed with.
3. Use a syringe or dropper:
Sometimes, kids don't like the taste of medicine, but they also don't like the feeling of medicine in their mouth. You can use a syringe or dropper to administer the medicine directly to the back of their throat, avoiding the taste buds.
4. Make it a game:
You can turn taking medicine into a game by pretending the medicine is a magic potion that will make them feel better. You can use a fun, playful voice and encourage them to take their medicine so they can start feeling better faster. You can make up a silly song about taking medicine to make the process more fun. This will help distract them from the possible unpleasant taste of the medicine and make the experience more enjoyable.
5. Use a reward system:
You can use a reward system to encourage kids to take their medicine. You can offer them a small treat or toy as a reward for taking their medicine, making it a positive experience. For example, you could reward them with a sticker to put onto a chart and once they’ve reached 10 stickers (for 10 doses) they will receive a new book or toy.
6. Let them choose:
Kids love feeling like they have some control over their lives, so you can let them choose which flavour of medicine they want to take. This will make them feel like they have some say in the matter and may make them more willing to take their medicine. Your pharmacist may be able to offer alternative flavours from different brands of the same medicine.
It's important to have in mind that using medicine safely when treating children's illness involves understanding what to give your child, when and how much to give. It's also helpful to be aware that, depending on your child's needs, a variety of non-pharmaceutical strategies, such as reading, singing, screen time on a phone or tablet, or caressing, can improve illness management. The advice provided here may help, with time and effort, to make medicine time with your child a more pleasant (and dare we say, perhaps even anticipated) part of the day.