The last thing a worried, sleep-deprived momma (or dad) needs is to finally get some medicine for their kid, only to have said kid spew the medicine everywhere and start shrieking like they're being paid for it. Sadly, this happens all too often and there are a few good reasons why.
1. Medicine usually doesn't taste good. We know it, don't think that they don't know it too!
2. Medicine usually only comes around when you aren't feeling well. In a child's mind, Medicine = Bad.
3. Kicking and screaming is the natural defense mechanism of the toddler. If they don't like what's happening, expect them to use it.
Here are some tips to make sure that liquid goes where it's supposed to (and not all over your shirt).
First of all, medicine does usually have a flavoring to it, but we all know the taste. It's nothing you'd drink for fun, and your child is going to notice the slight bitterness right away. There are two different ways to go about taking medicine. The easy way, and the hard way. It usually ends up coming down to the hard way, but let me fill you in on the easy way in case any of you out there have easy-going kids. See video demonstrations of both ways here:
The Easy Way:
Sit down with your child on their level and snuggle them for a minute. Tell him or her you want them to feel better and that you went and got something just for them from the doctor. Show your little one the bottle of medicine and the dropper it goes in. Open the bottle and look inside. Try not to say anything like "mmm smells yummy!" because you know it isn't yummy, and if they don't know it yet they are going to know soon, and they won't trust you as much when you say it about other things (like asparagus). Go ahead and touch your finger to a drop of the medicine and put it in your mouth. Say something like "Wow, that makes me feel better. It makes my cough/puke/headache/tummyache go away!"
Now put some into the dropper. Put your child on your lap. Wrap your arm around his or her waist, tucking the arms to the side. With your child's legs and your legs dangling down towards the ground, ankle-cross your legs around theirs to prevent them from kicking you if they get upset. This might be the point that you want another adult nearby just in case. Even though your child is complying so far, they will almost definitely spit the medicine out after it hits the side of their tongue - it's just a natural reaction to the bitter taste. Tuck the dropper into your child's cheek (they can't spit it out from there), tip their head back slightly and start talking about anything other than the medicine. "Remember the time we went to the zoo? That was fun wasn't it? We saw a lot of animals there." Very slowly push the medicine in, stopping every few seconds to allow time for them to swallow. If they begin to cry or fuss, gently tell them that they will feel better after taking the medicine. If they begin to kick and scream, switch to the hold in The Hard Way. If they finish taking all the medicine however, count yourself lucky and give them a big hug for doing so well.
The Hard Way:
Put your child sideways on your lap, with his or her legs dangling between yours. Gently cross your legs in such a way that your child's legs are trapped between your own. This will keep you from getting kicked if your child starts to scream. Now tuck their arm that is closest to you under your armpit, as if you were hugging them. Extend your "hugging" arm around to their side and hold their other arm firmly against them. Tilt your child back slightly, so they are leaning back into your cradling-hold. With your free hand, place the dropper into the side of their cheek - again, the side of the cheek is the only place they can't spit it out from - and squeeze the medicine into their mouth slowly. Going too fast can cause choking, and you don't need that on top of everything else. Stop every few seconds to make sure that the child has time to swallow. If your child seems truly frantic from taking the medicine, stop and calm them before proceeding. Taking medication is never a fun event, but it should never turn into a traumatic one. When your child has finished taking all of their medication, make sure to give them a big hug. Your little guy or gal deserves it.
Make sure to give your child a drink (to wash out the taste) and a treat afterwards. If they are keeping food down, give them a little snack. If they aren't keeping food down, give them a popsicle if you have one, or a sticker or other small toy. Spend some time coloring with them or reading a few books, or some other favorite pastime. Let them see that the medicine-taking event doesn't have to be unpleasant.
To make it easier on yourself the next time you need to give medication, start giving your child a daily vitamin. Make a sticker chart in a place that they can reach and let them put a sticker up each time they take it without fuss. Spend time with them or even just give them a hug whenever the vitamin-taking time arrives. If your child sees that medicine can be used for health, that is what they will associate with it, and hopefully the next time they need to take it they won't devolve into a being that reminds you of a Mini-Hulk minus the green color.
Hopefully the medicine does the job fast and you can catch a few much-needed minutes of rest while your little guy or gal does the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment