Getting Children to take Liquid Medicine
By Jshean20
@Jshean20 (14348)
Canada
December 18, 2006 1:22am CST
I remember as a kid that my poor mother had such a tough time getting me to take liquid medicine, there was not a flavor out there that i enjoyed (atleast not over the counter stuff). I always loved taking the banana liquid medicine when I got an ear ache though, but that was perscription only.
What about you when you were younger/your kids? Do you have trouble getting them to take liquid medicine? What kinds do they love/hate? How do you con them into taking it if they basically refuse? I remember when my mom would try to dump the liquid grape medicine into grape juice...did NOT work!! hehe
6 people like this
68 responses
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
18 Dec 06
I help raise my niece and we had a devil of a time with liquid medication for her. So much so that she was taking pills at two years old. She had really bad ear infections. The problemw ould come in the doctor would prescribe a pill and the pharmacy would want to switch it to a liquid because she was under five. We'd have to explain every time that she won't take liquids but she would take pills. Thankfully she got her tonsils out at three and that solved some problems.
@jennifer611 (2514)
• United States
18 Dec 06
wow, I didnt know that kids could have problem with their tonsils at such a young age.. I had mine removed at 5 yrs old and my kids had theirs done at around 6 and 7 yrs. now I was thinking my two yr old looks like he may need his checked out but I thought maybe he was too young for it yet.. thanks for posting this because it helps me to see that it can happen..
@GrammaFood (716)
• United States
18 Dec 06
My youngest son was the worse! I use to have to chase him around the house or my husband would hold down his hands and i would have to try to get him to take it. He would hold it in his mouth and let it drool out of the side of his mouth! But with all my kids i would try to hold their noses to get them to swallow it. Now i know they flavor the medicine so hopefully that helps.
@sharon613 (2321)
• United States
18 Dec 06
I never had any problems when my kids were toddlers in having them take liquid medicine. It was the difficlty of having them take pill.
@Jestin (560)
• Philippines
18 Dec 06
I don't remember having a hard time with liquid medicine. My mom just usually gives me lots of water after it or juice and then sweets. It makes the aftertaste go away and makes me forget how it tasted. I remember having difficulties with capsules though. My mom would open it up and mix the powder with sugar. Then lots and lots of water after it.
@cloud_kicker_32 (4635)
• United States
18 Dec 06
my son was like this soo bad!! No matter what i used.the syringe or spoon he wouldmt then he would make himself gag ato the point of puke!! ohh yess.lol.well i decided one day to put his meds in the frigerator..cold med,tylenol..everything..i did find he loves grape..but i gave him the cold med and he loves it!! and i always have a drink for a chaser..but since then he always takes his med now
1 person likes this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
18 Dec 06
Well thank goodness that nowadays the medicines are good tasting, so kids take them. When I was younger they were awful. My mom made me hold my nose, so I would not taste it. It works that way.
@michele609 (1687)
• United States
18 Dec 06
I have been blessed becasue my children dont give me any problems to take medicine. But I know when I was a child I also hated it I would rin and hide and sometimes I would be sick but not show it until my fever was over 102 seriously but I guess god vless me with my two becasue I can say medicine time and they come running!
@prettyblueyez06 (227)
• United States
18 Dec 06
I have always had a hard time getting my kids to take medicine when they were younger! My oldest used to throw up every time she would take it. I would try to mix it in drinks, or apple sauce. Sometimes it would work and sometimes not.
@deepika_mona (1338)
• India
18 Dec 06
As same here i remember my chilhood days my dad used to tell me this is nice organce juice or rose juice n give me liquid medice which i didnt like at all so i would get humbled and when next time when he told me same i would never take that liquid medicine n i would feel pills would be better way
1 person likes this
@sood_vaibhav (42)
• India
18 Dec 06
Its really tough to take liquid medicine when we were kids...
However, I'll say that they are more safe than pills....
@jennifer611 (2514)
• United States
18 Dec 06
I hated taking medicine as a child. I remember that the one I could handle was dimatap (sp) it tasted like grape. I loved it so much that I got into it once and drank some of it.. I remember feeling really sick and not wanting to ever use it again. still today I refuse to have anything that has a grape flavor.
@bonnitabelle (143)
• Canada
18 Dec 06
I have been very fortunate that my daughters don't mind the liquid medicine, but they do have their favorite flavors. I try to talk to the pharamacist when it comes time to buy them something so that I can find something in a flavor that they will like so as to avoid the arguments regarding not taking the medicine.
@gkrisiyer (393)
• India
18 Dec 06
its very tough to get kids drink liquid medicine.they make a lot of fuss about it.they yell scream.they do everything to avoid it.
@serenetee (380)
• Singapore
18 Dec 06
I did not have any problem.My daughter,8, loves taking medicine and for this reason, she envies her brother whenever he's sick. My son,5, will ask for a sweet after taking medicines prescribed by the general practitioner (GP) but doesn't need any if the medicines are from the paediatrician. Perhaps they've added extra sugar for kids. However, he's fearful of taking antibiotic that has a powdery taste. But he'll still take it after staring at it for 5 minutes.
@KESAVMARINER (51)
• India
18 Dec 06
ya.. its ovious.. kids hate medicines.. specially a injection... worst nightmare
@nycknhead79 (103)
• United States
18 Dec 06
i never had a problem taking medicine when i was little but my daughter which is 15 months old hatesssssss it i literally have to force it down her troat.i hate doing it but sometimes i have no choice
