HEEEEELLLLLPPPP!!!! Suggestions please...

[Harpoon]

I'm not bald yet, but I will be soon...

I have an about-to-be five (his birthday's tomorrow, 2/17) year old son who has a little sinus cold. He's been in and out of a fever over the past week plus a runny nose, nasty cough, etc. He's not eating much either, though right now he's having some pudding which is a good sign...

Here's my problem:

He won't take medication.

There are two that he likes, or at least tolerates. Motrin (bubble gum flavor) which is only effective for treating a fever and usually only for the first and second doses. The other medication he'll take is Claritin which is JUST to treat the runny nose. It's an antihistamine usually used for allergies and asthma, but it works well for him.

I have LITERALLY bought the pharmacy. I have just about every cold remedy on the market sitting here on the counter beside the refridgerator. Everything, Triaminic both as a syrup and the thin strips, Tylenol flu for kids, a store brand of a common cold remedy that's an elixer instead of a suspension/syrup that was recommended by a pharmasist. Robutissin... We've also got chewables, and freezer pops. We've tried mixing meds with his favorite juices, with ginger ale (he took Triaminic when mixed with Vernors Ginger Ale for one cold, but refuses now) and the soft chews for a few different meds.

He gets combative when we try to give him something, vocal plus flying fists, kicking, screaming, outright bawling... It's terrible. We're beside ourselves....


He can taste the stuff when it's mixed in with food, regardless of what it might be. He just knows. We've tried various forms of applesauce, pudding, milkshakes, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, Jello.... He just knows when something's been put into a treat that he's getting, he knows from the first taste and now I'm hear, "Hey! You tricked me! There's medicine in this!" when I try slipping him the mickey....



HELP!!!! PLEASE!!!! WE'RE DESPERATE!!!!


He'll take Claritin, Children's Motrin (bubble gum flavor) and Amoxicillin of all things (I have trouble taking that!!!!!)


Moms? Dads? Kids??? Anyone have an answer or at least something to try that we haven't already????

 

[Nancy]

Oh gosh-

I had one daughter who was just like your son. She still hates to take medicine. It was a tremendous battle, because she was prone to ear infections which were excruciating for her and she just couldn't put the thought together that if she took the medication, she would get better, and if she did not, she would suffer.

She was also a holy terror when needing an injection, kicked and hurt one doctor, and I had to almost sit on her so she could get the injection.

One other time, she just was so terrible that the pediatrician had me bring her to the hospital. Once we got there, one of the nurses came out and she looked very, very scary. I think she purposely put on some white makeup and had this very stern look on her face. She scared my daughter who didn't make a peep. Then they put her in one of those little chairs with the tray that locks down so she couldn't move. She got her injection that day.

When we moved from the house where she grew up, and I was cleaning it out, I was taking some artificial plants out of the built-in planter and I found dozens of her little Flintstone vitamins in the dirt. Also found a few in small holes in the mortar of the stone wall by the fireplace.

She's all grown up now, and what goes around, comes around. She has one son who is just like her. Grandma doesn't say too much, I just smile.

She really gets after her son with his medications. She has to, he's prone to strep and asthma, but it's a battle royal 'cause he's a big kid for his age. He's older than your guy though. But she's a very feisty mom, so she wins.

Maybe bribery would work.

Wish I had better advice.

I can offer you understanding though.

 

[Debrinha GT]

Why don't you try?...

Why don't you try?...

Hi there Harpoon, have you tried being firm with him? I have a seven year old girl, and whenever she starts up the nonsense I simply tell her she doens't really have a choice in the matter. Children tend to be trying to see how far they can go and it's up to the parents to put an end to that sort of behaviour. I've never been the sort who likes threatening the child with the" do you prefer to get the shot" talk, but I do tell her that she'll have to choose and that injections can be necessary at times and that seems to work. You've tried everything to get your son to cooperate so maybe it's time to make him see he'll just have to and that's the end of it! He might get a bit of a shock if he's not used to that, but bear in mind it's for his own sake.
Débora

 

[Bryan B]

Have you tried Dimetapp? When I worked in the hospital's clinic/employee pharmacy mothers bought the stuff like crazy. It's grape flavored and from what I heard tastes pretty good. I believe it has a decongestant and anihistimine in it. Not sure if they have a formulation with an antitussive and/or cough suppressent.

 

[Mary]

Been there, done that. With the first couple, I made them take their medicine--whatever it took!
By the time the last one came along, I forgot about making him take the tylenol or anything nonprescription. He hated it, and preferred a temp of 103 to taking the med.
Nancy's idea of bribery is good, but I would only offer it after you have let him see that you are willing to retreat from the battleground (you do realize you're in a battle don't you? ) Part of this is a control issue, and if you show that you are flexible, he might relent.

As long as he will take an antibiotic, you should be ok. Keep him really hydrated and you probably won't need the cough syrup.
Absolute worse scenario--pinch his nose and pour it down!

 

[geebee]

Did you know that Benedryl makes a children's formula that is bubble gum flavored? It may not be around everywhere but it is available.
The other option is mixing meds with grape (or other flavor he might like) jelly.
I have a compounding pharmacy near me that will make any meds into liquid form in just about any flavor. You might check for one of those in your area.

 

[Emma]

we used to have the same problem! So afraid i don't know what to suggest either - Chloe used to kick up a huge fuss if we went near her with any meds! Turned out we could trick her with yogurt though - hiding it in a strawberry one seemed to be the only way she didn't suss us out!
but to be honest, if there's no infection there and it's a cold he has or flu at worst, then as long as he's drinking he should be fine. I always find most of those cold, cough and flu mixtures don't do much anyway and my friend, who's a paed. nurse tells me not to bother with them either. Lucky he takes amoxicyllin - i quite like that too! lol
Lucky he takes 'motrin'??? too (i assume would be the same as our 'calpol' - a liquid paractemol for chidlren) cos at least that will keep his temp down. I always put a dampish flannel on my girls heads too and strip them to keep a temp down. No doubt i am teaching a grandmother to suck eggs though so i'll shut up now,

Really hope he's feeling better for his birthday!!!

Emma
xxx

 

[Rain]

You're the boss.....

You're the boss.....

If it was my kid....... I?d hold his head back and pour the stuff down his throat. He?ll eventually swallow it. NO... I?ve never had to do that. But I would if need be... and my kids know it.

Rather than threaten, I suggest talking to him in a sensible age appropriate language about why he needs to take the medicine. Then hopefully he?ll swallow it. Give him something to wash it down with and be done with it. Don?t let it become such an ordeal.

 

[momshell7]

I feel your pain

I feel your pain

WOW I feel your pain. I have a four almost five year old and he is the same way. He is the most stubborn kid I have EVER seen. Lately I have found that if I offer him a very small watered down drink of Pepsi after he takes his medicine he is willing to take it. I tell him that it's our secret and he can't tell his dad that he is drinking his pop. He likes the idea of us having a secret so he takes the medicine. I don't give him for than a swallow of pop but it's enough to get the job done.

Michelle

 

[McCln]

Too bad he could not take creamotion, not sure of the spelling, that I took as a child, it is still made, but might be hard to find. My mother had a hard time keeping my brother and I away from it. They did make an adult fomula years later. It is usually hard to get children to take meds, just keep on trying. I have only childhood experience to go by. Just keep hanging in there.

 

[Christina L]

We do not

We do not

have children, but your scenario sounds like us trying to get medicine down our cats and dog!!! We have tried mixing medicines in with food and they always know it!

My first thought was to put the medicine in soda pop. I don't think there is a kid alive who won't drink soda pop, right?

Someone on this thread said to wash it down with the pop, but why not mix it in with the pop in the first place?

Christina L.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Super-Nanny

Super-Nanny

He gets combative when we try to give him something, vocal plus flying fists, kicking, screaming, outright bawling... It's terrible. We're beside ourselves....

SUPERNANNY to the rescue! Jo Jo would say to get down on your child's level and explain in a firm voice that his behavior is unacceptable and if he doesn't change it (take the medicine without a fit) he would spend one minute for every year of age in the "Naughty Corner."

If he moves from the "Naughty Corner" just pick him up and put him there again making sure he understands why he's there, leave him there and go about your business.

When he's spent his 5 minutes there (age 5?) go to him and get down on his level and explain that in order to leave the "Naughty Corner" he must apologize for his unacceptable behavior. When he apologizes, give him a hug and praise him for his good behavior.

All children want attention...they don't care if they get it with bad or good actions..to them, it's the end result that counts -- A T T E N T I O N!

Hey, this works on TV...! If this fails, use Rain's method.. I can just see Rain holding down 6ft 6" Ryan...

 

[Guest]

...if he doesn't change it ... he would spend one minute for every year of age in the "Naughty Corner."

*chuckles and blushes*

Yeah know...some might find the "Naughty Corner" to be a good thing .

*pauses*

Course, I always took my medicine without any trouble whatsoever.

Riiiggghhhtttt....

Don't know if this'll help you or not, but what got me to take my medication was to wrap it in baloney or bread or something that gave it some "flavor". Course, that only worked for small pills. For the liquid stuff, the folks were a bit more, well, forceful, especially when it came to the "terrible tasting" stuff. These days, though, kids would seem to have it a bit easier with companies catering to kids' tastes...and making medicine taste, if not better than before, at least a bit more tolerable....

*shrugs*

HTH.


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
'72/'6/'9/'81/'7, train/models = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
MC Guide = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html
"Most Complete Lineup," Chevy claims in ad ... but how?

 

[Harpoon]

With the exception of a pharmacy that custom makes prescription compounds with a wide variety of flavors to choose from, we've done ALL of that stuff...


I've been forceful, I've been calm. I've pinched noses, I've poured down throats, I've mixed it with jelly, applesauce, pop (ginger ale), juice, popsicles, ice cream, pudding, Jello, yogurt, peanut butter... I've put it in PB&J sandwiches, I've put it in pancakes.

We've taken privlidges away, we've unplugged the TV, taken away toys, done timeouts (the chair thing), we've tried offering all kinds of rewards from candy to ice cream to buying videotapes, going to a movie, dinner at McDonalds....

I even sat with him quitely for two hours straight talking about why it's important to take our medicines, what happens if we don't take them. How bad some of my medicines taste and how I've dealt with taking them over the years (I have lots of good amoxicillin stories to tell....)

Basically, NOTHING you offer to him is worse than taking a little one tsp of medicine.

I think it's a mental block of some kind. He has actually admitted to liking some of the meds we've tried on him, but he still refuses to take the dose.

 

[azpam]

i agree with rain,debora,and shezagirl. you are the parent.be matter of fact about it-must be done-do it. don't let them control you. you are the parent-you control them. state it is medicine to make them better,no and's if's but's about it. take it and be quiet!it is a good lesson. life is like that. some things we just don't like to do but we do them.

 

[Abbanabba]

If it was my kid....... I?d hold his head back and pour the stuff down his throat. He?ll eventually swallow it.

Yep.... I'll tell you from first-hand experience that this will work! After I had my OHS when I was 5, I had all sorts of NASTY pills and medicines to take - and you better believe I was like a bagful of wildcats when it came time for me to take them!! I would have a grown-up holding down my legs, one holding down my arms, one holding my head and pinching my nose shut.... which was a great way to get me to open my mouth for the 4th person to get the stuff down the hatch! They would then force my mouth closed so I couldn't spit it back out and hold me like that until I had swallowed

Hopefully your son isn't quite the hellion I was and you and your wife can handle it if need be. If he needs to go through that a couple of times, he may well decide that taking it himself is actually a better option after all (..although being the stubborn little monster I was (and still am ) I would never concede defeat - heh heh..).

Good luck!!!

Anna >: ) (..evil smirk..)

 

[Harpoon]

Yup, been there, done that, doesn't work... =(

I've pinned down my son more times than I really wish to count. Usually it's me and mommie doing it, sometimes we even have my father helping and he spits everything up.

He's VERY fiesty and it's really hard to keep him steady enough to administer medication without seriously hurting him.


We've also tried setting the law. he knows when I mean business. He knows that when I say NOW I mean it, that I'm the daddy and I make the rules and if you don't follow them, you will NOT be happy.

He's actually really good with me on most of that stuff, except when it comes to taking medication. He's stubborn, VERY strong-willed, and extremely intelligent. He's very observant too which is funny because he "doesn't" hear a lot when he's tied into something.

He minds me more than anyone really, but when it comes to taking medication, NO ONE has gotten it through to him. He hears all the reasons why it's important and I think on some level at least, he understands and agrees with it all, but he still won't take it because he knows what it does to him, how he feels when he's on it. The symptoms go away, but I really think he doesn't like that "medicine head" sensation and that's what he's really afraid of.

What else could it be? As I've said before, he's admitted to liking the taste of some of the meds we've tried on him, but he still refuses them.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I hope I'm around to read the 'rest of this story' when your son turns 15!

 

[gijanet]

Have you tried.........

Have you tried.........

the Triaminic chest vapor patches for kids? Works fairly well on coughs and helps to unstop stuffy noses - don't know if it will aggravate a runny one, though. Since Katie has been on meds all of her life, she rarely balks at taking them - she can't take most OTC cold meds anyway. My son, btw, still loves the grape Dimetapp, as do most kids. Good luck and hope your son is feeling better for his birthday - hey! Maybe you could threaten to take his birthday away????? Hugs. J.

 

[terryj]

My five year old granddaughter is the same way. We told her if she wouldn't take the medicine she had to go get a shot and she happily opened her mouth for the medicine.