Comments on: How to Give a Baby Medicine

By: Stacee Schmidt-Cottrell

Stacee Schmidt-Cottrell — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:46:40 +0000

Thanks so much for the great ideas. My dd, Corahlyne, just went on meds so it was like this post was written especially for me lol..

I tried the gently blowing & Corah actually got the meds down w/out a huge struggle. In the past, w/ my other kids, it has always been a dreaded time. I think w/ this giving meds might not be quite the traumatic event it has in the past.

By: Angel

Angel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:16:33 +0000

I was going to say the same thing. My grandma told me that. Its worked for both of my kids untill they got to about 3. Just a gentle blow for some reason makes them swallow.

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:55:06 +0000

Oops, just noticed that the parenthesis made the link not work. Here it is again http://www.mom4life.com/catalog.php?item=1248

By: Marie

Marie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:43:17 +0000

I haven’t had too many issues as my little girl hasn’t needed anything more than tylenol a couple times. But I have seen a product called a Medibottle (you can find it here http://www.mom4life.com/catalog.php?item=1248) that would help so long as they will take a bottle.

By: Kelly @ Wisdom Begun

Kelly @ Wisdom Begun — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:16:15 +0000

We did a variation on the above mentioned bottle nipple method: for my kids who took a pacifier, we’d use the syringe to put a bit of medicine in the back of their mouth. Then immediately pop the pacifier in and they’d suck that medicine down. It took a long time to get the medicine in them this way, but none of it was spit out.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:24:31 +0000

I don’t think there is anything you can do to make amoxil taste better. I’ve even had the pharmacy add flavoring (read sugar) to it and it’s still nasty. (I know, I accidentally got some on my finger and licked without thinking first!) It’s very bitter. I switched my kids to the pill form and we no longer have troubles with it. If your girls can swallow pills, ask your pediatrician about switching to pills.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:21:32 +0000

With my oldest (whose now 14), I had to wrap him up “burrito” style, lay him in the floor between my legs and hold his nose. He wouldn’t take medicine any other way. He spit, sputter and threw it up every time. This way the only option he had was to swallow. It sounds cruel (and looks too) but it was the only thing that worked for me.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:19:13 +0000

I have the same problem with my youngest. Now that’s she’s old enough to open “child-proof” bottles by herself, we really have to keep an eye on her and the pill bottles!

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:06:10 +0000

I don’t have many tips, because my kids generally like meds.

I used the nipple and fake pacifier when my girls were little.

I also like giving meds in the bathtub. It’s great for accidental spills

As they got bigger, I wasn’t too proud to bribe mine. So I would offer them a popsicle in the bathtub for taking their medicine. Everyone gets what they want…and it takes away any bad taste in their mouth. When they were really little, we would have a little medicine…bite of popsicle…little medicine…bite of popsicle…untill it was all gone.

I’m struggling right now too because after years of having it easy, my girls both HATE the taste of amoxil. Even with the flavoring from the pharmacy, it’s not enough. Both gag. We haven’t figured out how to make this better so I’d love to hear how others do it with big kids.

By: Keeley

Keeley — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:14:46 +0000

I had one child who had an ear infection pretty much from the time he was born until he got tubes at 7 months. The doctor kept ramping up the meds…up and up and up until it go to the point where she was opening the cabinet in her office, pulling out a bottle of powder and saying “Here, mix this with some water and try it…”

*sigh* Giving a 5 month old grainy nasty tasting medicine was awful. I had to basically hold the poor little kid down. =(

It was so incredible when he finally got his tubes. The experience of seeing him go from deaf to hearing was amazing. I still remember the look on his face when I splashed in the tub. Previously he’d just blinked and cried. This time he looked at my hand in absolute shock and dawning delight. Who knew that splashing in the tub was an auditory pleasure? =)