HEEEEELLLLLPPPP!!!! Suggestions please...

[Rain]

You shouldn't have to force it down his throat.

You shouldn't have to force it down his throat.

Well, Ms. Janie... he?s now 6' 8".... 212 lbs!!

The beauty of the deal is...... if you teach the kid to ?take his medicine? at age 5... Then when he?s 6' 6" you won?t have to force the meds down his throat. He?ll be in college working two jobs to pay for his education.... And even tho he?s 500 miles from home, doesn?t have time, or money.... he?ll go buy the meds and take them himself. Because you taught him that was the right thing to do when he was 5.

Harpoon, you shouldn?t have to force it down his throat. Seriously. Take him on your lap and in a relaxed, easy kind of conversation.... (not when he?s already fighting against taking it) explain why he needs to take it. Then explain the best way is for you to hold his nose, tip his head back and pour it down his throat followed by a drink of water. Then just go do it. Don?t argue with him... don?t let him think there is room for argument. I would never bribe, threaten or beat him. And if you don?t treat him in this same way about other things in his life, I can see why it wouldn?t work taking his meds. You have to be consistent.

The child certainly wouldn?t get an ounce of sympathy from me if he didn?t take the meds. He?d be in bed, period. No TV, no games, no nothing.

I guess you can call me ?Rain the hard ass Mom? Bet you?d love my kids tho!

 

[ShezaGirlie]

And the ten most favorite quotes are...

And the ten most favorite quotes are...

Harpoon said:

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.

Why is he still not taking the medicine Harpoon?

My favorite quotes from this thread:

Terryj said:

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.

Nancy said:

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.

Deborah said:

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.

Mary said:

(you do realize you're in a battle don't you? )

Emma said:

No doubt i am teaching a grandmother to suck eggs though so i'll shut up now

Rain said:

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

Momshell7 said:

He likes the idea of us having a secret so he takes the medicine.

ChristinaL said:

We don't have children, but your scenario sounds like us trying to get medicine down our cats and dog!!!

Knightfan said:

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

(You and Ross behave!)

AND #10 THE WINNAH IS:
AlCapshaw2 said:

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

My almost 90 year old Mama always said, "Little kids, little problems -- big kids, big problems." Granny was right!

 

[Nancy]

I've been thinking about this problem.

Is it possible that he doesn't hate the medicine, but that he hates all the commotion revolving around it, and it scares him when medicine time comes up because he knows that everyone will be upset.

He's already admitted that he doesn't mind the taste of some of the medicines. So that is not the main issue.

I think he's just scared of all the trouble and just shuts down and refuses hoping the issue will go away.

And--if you have given up giving him his medicine at any time along the way, then he knows this is a possible way to stop the madness.

Maybe if you had a conversation with him about how you hate all the commotion, and that it upsets you very much for many days afterward and you don't know what to do about it, and you are coming to him to try to find a solution which will help make things much more pleasant for everyone because you hate bad feelings and you love him so very much and don't want him to be upset, and also don't want him to be sick.

If you focus on you, instead of him, it changes the dynamics of the situation and gives him an opportunity to be part of the solution instead of the problem. It gives him a little power.

Tell him that you want to turn an unpleasant thing into something that would be nice for everyone, and it would only take a short amount of time instead of a long angry time.

Ask him for a solution.

 

[Mary]

Harpoon,
As long as he'll take the medicine he absolutely has to take-like the ampicillin-is it really worth this fight? You're not trying to get him to take coumadin!

Like I said before, this is a battle. You don't want to lose the war. Save the ammunition for the big stuff!

 

[geebee]

Harpoon, you shouldn?t have to force it down his throat. Seriously. Take him on your lap and in a relaxed, easy kind of conversation (not when he?s already fighting against taking it) explain why he needs to take it. Then explain the best way is for you to hold his nose, tip his head back and pour it down his throat followed by a drink of water.Then just go do it.

I think this makes the most sense. Somehow the picture of the little guy being held and talked to might make him feel special and not "put upon".

Just might work.

 

[Guest]

(You and Ross behave!)

*peers around innocently*

Who me? Ross? Why should we?

*pauses*

As has been mentioned, it's probably the "medicine head" feeling that he doesn't like. Is it a possibility to have a doctor(s) talk to him about this? Maybe they can help put his fears to ease at least enough to take the medication...?

*shrugs*

I know I haven't been much help...sorry .

 

[Ryan]

For the Record

For the Record

For the Record:
A standard door has a height of 80" or 6'8." I hit my head on these quite regularly, and have the scars to prove it. For this reason I that I am 6'9".
As for my weight, I am 220 lbs.
And mom has held my head back and pour stuff down my throat.

 

[Granbonny]

When my Grandson was around age 6...His fever spiked one afternoon..to 104. He had been playing early that day in the river. He told me he had a headache. I grabbed my Hubby, with paint all over him (outside painting) and flew to the nearest ER... The doctor told me..I'm going to give him a combination of 2 different fever meds..when my Grandson balked..the doctor said, firmly ..You will either take it by mouth or up your butt. Kameron sat up so fast..and took both of them by mouth. Never had a problem after that. I explained to him later. the same meds can be up your fanny....in the form of a gel... He always remembered that. Took a doctor to tell him...Not me....Really scared him. Bonnie

 

[perkicar]

When my Grandson was around age 6...His fever spiked one afternoon..to 104. He had been playing early that day in the river. He told me he had a headache. I grabbed my Hubby, with paint all over him (outside painting) and flew to the nearest ER... The doctor told me..I'm going to give him a combination of 2 different fever meds..when my Grandson balked..the doctor said, firmly ..You will either take it by mouth or up your butt. Kameron sat up so fast..and took both of them by mouth. Never had a problem after that. I explained to him later. the same meds can be up your fanny....in the form of a gel... He always remembered that. Took a doctor to tell him...Not me....Really scared him. Bonnie

Heck, that works on adults as well. One of our chemo regimens has the patients take tylenol and benedryl pills every 6 hours. I had a patient who had a fever (from the chemo drug, it's a monoclonal antibody) but was nauseated and wouldn't take her tylenol. I got the doctor to write me an order for tylenol suppository--but when I took it in her room she decided she could swallow those pills and keep them down
I think I like the idea of making him part of the solution, but him understanding the actual taking is still non-negotiable. He has to take them someway, but gets to decide what is least awful.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Oh Bonnie.....har, har, har!

Oh Bonnie.....har, har, har!

Bonnie said:

You will either take it by mouth or up your butt. Kameron sat up so fast..and took both of them by mouth. Never had a problem after that. I explained to him later. the same meds can be up your fanny....

Hahahahahaha, never laughed so hard! You're going to make me rethink my "Ten Best Quotes."

 

[Harpoon]

"Harpoon, you shouldn?t have to force it down his throat. Seriously. Take him on your lap and in a relaxed, easy kind of conversation.... (not when he?s already fighting against taking it) explain why he needs to take it. Then explain the best way is for you to hold his nose, tip his head back and pour it down his throat followed by a drink of water. Then just go do it. Don?t argue with him... don?t let him think there is room for argument. I would never bribe, threaten or beat him. And if you don?t treat him in this same way about other things in his life, I can see why it wouldn?t work taking his meds. You have to be consistent. "

I took this as a sampling, not intending to respond to it specifically...


Please understand that I've tried reasoning wiht him on several occassions. We sat for over an hour one day on his bed, with him sitting on my right thigh as I had my arm wrapped around behind his back. We talked about why it's important for me to take all the medicines I take. We talked about how some of those medicines don't allow me to eat certain foods that I like and that some of those medicines actually cause me other problems, side-effects, that I have to take even more medication for.

We talked aobut what would happen if I stopped taking my medications and what would happen if he didn't take his. We were calm, quiet, clear, and speaking at "his" level.

However, when it comes time to bring that little cup (the graduated plastic cup they include with most bottles of OTC meds these days) he clamps his mouth hard shut. No chance to pour it down his throat, I'd have to force his mouth open first....


I've also tried the "passive" approach. On a number of occassions, I've explained to him that he needed to take his medication. I've poured out the proper amount and left it on the counter where he could get it along with a chaser of his favorite juice then left it alone, telling him that his medication was ready for him to take it when he was ready.

That worked once.


It hasn't worked again.


I think I've tried just about every trick there is. He won't respond to threats or withdrawal of priviledges. He tastes it in food and drink and won't take more than a bite or sip of whatever you might have spiked. He likes certain meds, admits to it, but still turns up his nose when it's time to take the full dose.

He "happily" takes Claritin, Children's Motrin, and Amoxicillin.

He will "kind of" take an inhaler that seems to help with his cough/congestion at times and he doesn't have time to object to either a nose spray (for runny noses) or ear drops (they hurt a LOT but I can sneak it into him pretty quickly before he catches on to what's going on and starts struggling.)

NOTHING that we can do or take from him is any worse than taking his icky medication. He'll gladly give up the TV, playing on the computer, playing board games, story time, treats, even treat beverages that he likes such as Slush Puppies and Frosties from Wendy's...


All we have been successful with is the stuff I mentioned above, Vicks Vapor Rub on his chest, and a vapor release plug-in thing that goes into an electrical outlit and has the same medication that Vicks does...


Oh, and now I've got a nice, deep chest congestion cold thing goin'

Go figure...

 

[geebee]

Harpoon,
What exact medicine are you trying to get him to take or are you talking in general? I know you mentioned a few things he would take but I am not sure I understood what he won't take specifically. Maybe if I knew, I could talk to the compounding pharmacist to see if he has any suggestions.

 

[Mary]

Harpoon,
As long as he'll take the medicine he absolutely has to take-like the ampicillin-is it really worth this fight? You're not trying to get him to take coumadin!

Like I said before, this is a battle. You don't want to lose the war. Save the ammunition for the big stuff!

Harpoon,
I raised five kids and dealt with the same issue, at one time or another, with all five. This will resolve with time. Worst comes to worst, a suppository or a shot will work.
Please stop fretting and know that you've done all that you can do. It's good practice for what you will undoubtedly experience when he becomes a teen-ager!

 

[Rain]

At this point, I say put the meds away.

At this point, I say put the meds away.

Harpoon,

I really feel your pain as I read your post. It IS hard raising kids. And part of what?s hard is being tough when you have to be.

If I found myself in the situation you describe I would do one of two things.....

1. TAke ONE bottle of whatever I thought he?d like best and pour it down his throat.

But more likely at this point, I?d go with option # 2.

2. Put all the meds away and forget about them... let him get over it on his own. I know that?s easier said than done... this is coming from a Mom who used to wake her sleeping babies just to make sure they were breathing!

One thing to remember.... how you deal with a baby from the day it?s born sets the stage for how it acts at age 5. How you deal with him at 5 sets the stage for how he acts at 15. I?m speaking to you with love, Harpoon... and a little experience.

Now Ryan.... What are you doing here?!

Ry, you?re probably remembering that shot of whiskey I gave you every day just to get you to sleep!! JUST KIDDING!! You ornery little rat.... get back to studying.

Look what I found........

 

[Guest]

Look what I found........

*raises eyebrow*

A motorized skateboard?

Hmm...very, very, very interesting .

 

[joy]

I have a son who refused to take nasty tasting stuff like augmentin, but I just say, "take your medicine!" I try to make it fun for us. I give it to him when he is in the bathtub, so if he DOES spit it out, no mess. If he has an ear infection of something that NEEDS antibiotics, I usually take him to NHB, and they have a shot they give him. I don't remember what it is called, but it is expensive! one time deal and it's over! Well, good luck, and force isn't the answer, neither is being firm, especially with my kids! I would try those patches that Janet recommended, they work for us with colds. Good Luck!

Joy

 

[Eowyn Rose]

I just lied.
1st lie :Garry Ablett (favourite remarkable football star takes the same medicine. Nobody likes it. But he knew he had to take it to play the best football ever.


I also told him how cute he looks when he screws his little face up when he drinks that awful stuff.

If it did not work i just told him to deal with it by himself. I made the medication ready, told him that it will make him more confortable, and he can choose when to take it.
But i also nicely, in my sweetest voice possible, asked him to stay a bit seperated from the rest of the family so we do not get caught at and get ill also.
Good luck
They do grow out of it.
Eowyn Rose