One of the toughest tasks of being a mom or dad is facing every health problem with courage and determination until your little one is completely healed. However, 99% of treatments involve medications that are almost never well accepted by children, who often cry, refuse to swallow, spit it out, and end up leaving parents very nervous. So, let’s try to make parents’ lives easier by giving some tips on how to give medicine to children in a calmer way.
As parents, we always take great care to protect our little ones’ health, but even with all the care, it’s not always enough to keep them safe from some illnesses, viruses, and bacteria, especially when they start school and have contact with many other children, which makes it even easier to catch something. And, from time to time, children do get sick, just like adults. But that’s not really the problem, after all, we always knew this could happen when we decided to be parents, right? Even though we’re never quite ready for it, haha. The problem is at treatment time and the difficulty children have accepting medicine.
First of all, it’s always good to point out the importance and dangers of medicine1. Medicine is designed to help with health problems, but if misused, it can cause very serious damage to a child’s health, and in some cases even be fatal. So, the first step is to always follow medical recommendations and never give something just because a neighbor, sister-in-law, cousin, or anyone else recommended it. Just because a medicine worked for your cousin’s child doesn’t mean it will cure your own. Organisms differ, illnesses vary, and so do treatments, which should always be prescribed by a doctor after evaluating the child and the situation.
The second very important step is knowing the correct medication dosage2. Every medicine has a specific dose based on the patient’s weight and must be followed strictly. After the medical evaluation and confirmation of the child’s weight, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication and correct dose, and may also suggest age-appropriate options such as tablets, drops, or syrups in different flavors, which might even make it easier for moms to give medicine to the child. After all, anything with a more pleasant taste is better accepted by little ones. Besides the correct dosage, timing should also be respected; that’s why it’s helpful to write the time of the next dose on the medicine box so you don’t lose track and give it incorrectly.
Every medicine comes with a measuring device or dosing tool in the box to help parents avoid incorrect dosing. Reading the leaflet is also a way to understand and confirm all the doctor’s instructions and recommendations about dosage and the purpose of the medicine for each type of illness or health issue.
Tips and Tricks for Giving Medicine to Children
We’ve explained all the important details about giving medicine to children safely. But what about when it’s time to actually finish the process and get them to swallow it? Haha. It’s all running, crying, screaming, and clamping mouths shut – we moms are used to all this drama. But there are some tricks that can help in this moment and make them take the medication without grimacing, and better yet, without even realizing it. The best tactic to give medicine to children is to mix it with some food, liquid, or even directly in their meal. However, you should always check with the doctor whether the medicine can be given this way and with what type of food. Generally, it can be diluted in a little milk or, if in tablet form, crushed and mixed with food. But some medicines cannot be mixed with certain components, as this may interfere with their effect, so it’s always good to confirm.
The best way to give liquid medicines or syrup to children, especially those who are less cooperative, is with a syringe. Some medications have even replaced the old measuring cup with a syringe to make things easier. Simply draw up the correct dose, hold the child, and inject it into their mouth so they swallow it. Sounds easy, right? Haha. But it’s not! Children or babies who refuse medicine will cry, whether offered in a syringe, a cup, or any other way. So, the best way is to have another person help you by holding their hands while you position the syringe at the side of their mouth, towards the cheek area.
Gently squeezing their cheeks to open their mouth a little will prevent the child from spitting the medicine out. Another tip is to blow gently on the child’s face, which will trigger a swallowing reflex and not give them time to spit it out. If even with these tricks you can’t give the medication as prescribed by the doctor, an injectable form may be the solution. Most children are also very afraid of injections, but the problem is solved in just one go. Never, ever bargain with your child to take the medicine! A good conversation explaining why they need to take it should be enough for them to understand; making deals and using bribes to get them to accept it isn’t healthy!
See also: How to Boost Children’s Immunity
Photo: Liza, Tracy Russell
