couple of questions for the resident parents

[Deleted]

1. DS had the flu last week and was prescribed Tamiflu. It was some kind of white, chalky liquid suspension that was "bubble gum flavored". DS HATES bubble gum flavored things, so it's always been hard to get him to take medicine. I don't think we managed to give him more than a full dose (5mL) over the entire course of 5 days. We BOTH held him down, but he would just start spitting so much that he was basically foaming at the mouth. We would try and try but then when it was obvious he wasn't taking any, we stopped. Needless to say it made him EXTREMELY upset each time we tried to give it to him to the point where we just stopped. I even tried sneaking it in his food/drink, but he knew and wouldn't take it. He's better now.
How do you handle giving your kids medicine that you know they won't take?

2. DS is getting to be a more adventurous eater but he's still kinda picky. He goes to daycare 3 days a week where he gets 2 snacks and a lunch. He used to skip lunch sometimes because I guess he didn't like what they served. Last night he had a super tantrum when he got home. Then I found out that he ate none of his lunch. I looked at the school menu - it was something I knew he wouldn't eat. I believe in natural consequences and I know skipping meal isn't going to kill him, but I'm uncomfortable with my toddler going without a meal. Should I ask about maybe packing a back-up option in case he doesn't eat, or should I do nothing and maybe he'll learn to eat what he's given?

[wvugurl26]

No kids for me but I think Walgreens and Target have free flavoring for medicines. Both seemed to have lots of flavor options.

I do agree with MM though if you know he doesn't like something. I know you like a wide variety of stuff and expose him to that. If you keep doing that he'll probably learn to like more stuff. He's still pretty young. And you aren't giving him junk so.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

1. We bribe her. She gets a drink of pop if she takes the stuff.  Yep we're terrible parents. 

2. I don't worry about it to be honest.  It's not that long between lunch and dinner at home.  If you're uncomfortable with it pack a lunch or offer him a light snack when he gets home before dinner.

[Deleted]

We bribed, we cajoled and if needed be we both held her down and used a syringe to squirt as much as possible directly down her throat so she wouldn't spit out too much. 

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2014 12:53:12 GMT -5 @missmargarita said:

Feb 20, 2014 12:50:38 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

We bribed, we cajoled and if needed be we both held her down and used a syringe to squirt as much as possible directly down her throat so she wouldn't spit out too much. 

Meanie!

Yeah.  She still talks about the time she had to take the white medicine. 

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2014 12:55:14 GMT -5 @missmargarita said:

Feb 20, 2014 12:53:50 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Yeah.  She still talks about the time she had to take the white medicine. 

You've scarred her for life!  Shame on you!

If you want to talk scarring, just wait until the first father daughter dance. I have been practicing.

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2014 12:53:12 GMT -5 @missmargarita said:

Feb 20, 2014 12:50:38 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

We bribed, we cajoled and if needed be we both held her down and used a syringe to squirt as much as possible directly down her throat so she wouldn't spit out too much. 

Meanie!

What we quickly learned is not to try and bribe her for too long.  If we did she would start to get herself so worked up that when it came to finally giving her the medicine it was that much harder.   Instead we would ask her once or twice if she wanted to take it.  Then straight in for the bear hug and throat squirt.  That way she wouldn't be already crying and screaming and we would be done more quickly and less would end up on the floor. 

[The Captain]

1.  Haven't had to give DD medicine other than OTC stuff yet (she's 11) - yes you can shoot me now .

2.  I forgot - how old is DS?  DD was pretty picky until about 5.  At daycare they always had milk, apple slices and string cheese which she ate.  Once she got older the rule was you had to try a taste of everything, then you got the backup.  That lasted until she was about 8, then she got to eat what we made and be happy about it!

[swamp]

We do the syringe thing.   

[thyme4change]

Even when the kids were in preschool, we told them that medicine sucks, but it is necessary to get healthy.  My kids would take it and complain.  

My preschool, we always packed a lunch, so I don't think packing a lunch is a bad idea.  

[moneymaven]

1. Our pharmacy let's us choose a flavor so I would ask about that. We've also done it mixed into yogurt, juice or chocolate ice cream.

2. Definitely pack him something. DS is picky too so we always send lunch except for pizza Friday.

[Sum Dum Gai]

No comment on the medicine since I don't remember having any issues with it. I wouldn't pack the extra lunches though. Skipping one meal now and again never hurt anyone. Toddlers won't die if they go without food for a few hours.

[thyme4change]

Overall general advice...pick your battles.  Once you start a combative relationship with your kids, you get into a pattern.  

[Formerly SK]

Yes, request different flavors for meds going forward.

Skipping a meal here or there wouldn't worry me.  IIRC, todder eating should be viewed on a "what did he eat this week" basis vs "what did he eat today" basis.  In fact, I still use that reasoning with my kids today (ie "No veggies today?  Oh well they'll probably get veggies tomorrow.")    

[bookkeeper]

We always stirred the medicine into a shot glass of root beer. One shot with the medicine and wash it down with more soda.

Our boys never complained about root beer anything. 

[vonna]

Feb 20, 2014 13:47:17 GMT -5 bookkeeper said:

We always stirred the medicine into a shot glass of root beer. One shot with the medicine and wash it down with more soda.

Our boys never complained about root beer anything. 

I remember my grandmother's antidotes were always served in a shot glass . . . funny thing is, seems like it always worked . . .

ETA:  I almost forgot -- one was served in a teacup.  Sip on that, and after a good night's sleep, the cold seemed to almost disappear!

[Wisconsin Beth]

My 4.5 year old is on clavamox.  We've been letting him squirt the syringe himself.  He's not happy about the flavor but he's taking it. 

Last winter my daughter was on amoxicilian - we had that damn prescription filled 3x to try to get something she'd take.  My kids generally prefer pills to liquids for meds so when I have a choice, I opt for pills. 

[Sam_2.0]

If you use a syringe and hold their chin up, you can squirt the medicine towards the back corner of their mouth and it goes straight down their throat before they can spit it out. I used to have to fight DD with one of her meds. Works on the dog too, oddly enough

DD is being picky about her food too. I figure if she is hungry then she will eat, but no snacks unless she eats the meals we give her. She has to at least try 3 bites so that she tastes everything on her plate. Last night she chose to go to bed without dinner because she didn't want to eat it - something she has gladly eaten before, but she was holding out for goldfish crackers. I am mean though, I don't really have much tolerance for picky eating and she's not going to live on junk food. We put healthy choices in front of her at meal times and if she chooses not to eat than she is hungry until the next meal. Every time she says that she's hungry we pull out her meal again and tell her she can eat that. If she is really hungry she will (and most of the time asks for seconds of the same thing), if she just wanted a snack then she declines and goes to play again. I don't think she's skipped more than one meal a day though.

[Sunnyday]

My daughter loves taking otc stuff when she is sick. And why wouldn't she? It takes like candy.

But, I would resort to bribing if it was an issue. It might not be the best parenting advice, but I rather that, then making it into a traumatic experience by holding the kid down. And besides what would be the point if the kid is so upset that they spit it out or throw it up.  Then what do you do. You can't know how much of it was actually ingested, so you don't know how much more to give.  You don't want to overdose your kid on something.

And I have advice for the picky eater thing.

I have one, and I feel your pain. But I wouldn't make a lunch for them to take along. I consider that along the lines of making a separate meal.  If you don't like it, fine. Pick all the [insert whatever they do find acceptable] off, and just eat that. But I will not be making a separate meal.  

I am not a line order cook.  I don't like to cook, so my stand might be too harsh.

[Miss Tequila]

Feb 20, 2014 12:50:38 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

We bribed, we cajoled and if needed be we both held her down and used a syringe to squirt as much as possible directly down her throat so she wouldn't spit out too much. 

this is exactly what we did.  Good times, good times....

[Chocolate Lover]

If they don't like the taste, they're not taking it. DD hates all things cherry flavored. And the yummy red grape/grape too. She doesn't mind DayQuil, for some reason. She won't take ANYTHING unless she feels awful. I was lucky that she never truly hated the prescriptions enough to cause a fuss. I told them early on, that the ones that work the best taste the worst most of the time. Bribery has been used, in the form of you can wash out the taste with whatever drink was favorite at the time. 

IDK what to tell you about the not eating lunch. If it's not every day, he'll live. Maybe be sure you have something he can snack on with you when you pick him up so he doesn't have to wait eons (in toddler time) to eat? 

[tloonya]

I am so freaking spoiled - I can't even imagine my child would throw tantrum or refuse when I said she must do something at toddler age.
Now you see why I am loving her so much and catering to her every whim?
Because she never refused taking medicine, never threw tantrum, never woke me up during the night.
Babysitters were amazed. Whoever we are still friend with - still talking about how unbelievable this child was.
Put her to bed and sleep tight next to her. Easy $$

I think it is just genes. Calm and quiet parents - tantrumless child.
(that of course was a bullshit about parents...however she was just like I described...until just about now.)

[Deleted]

I will sometimes remember to bring a snack (a fruit pouch or some crackers) in my purse to give to him for the ride home, but I guess I need to make that a regular thing. Even when he eats his lunch he still seems to be starving when we get home - as soon as his feet hit the floor he runs to the kitchen and starts asking for various things (milk, apple juice, goldfish, etc.) until he gets something.

He got a fever rash once his flu was done and I had the hardest time getting him to take Benadryl. Finally I said "look over there", he looked away, and I squirted it into his OJ. That worked.

[moneymaven]

Feb 20, 2014 15:27:14 GMT -5 @moneyjenny82 said:

I will sometimes remember to bring a snack (a fruit pouch or some crackers) in my purse to give to him for the ride home, but I guess I need to make that a regular thing. Even when he eats his lunch he still seems to be starving when we get home - as soon as his feet hit the floor he runs to the kitchen and starts asking for various things (milk, apple juice, goldfish, etc.) until he gets something.

He got a fever rash once his flu was done and I had the hardest time getting him to take Benadryl. Finally I said "look over there", he looked away, and I squirted it into his OJ. That worked.

I keep some apple sauce squeeze packets and snack bag crackers in my purse and the car for the ride home. Sometimes it can take us an hour to get home in traffic/bad weather so it helps tide him over. If I'm really on my game, I will bring cut up fruits and a squeeze yogurt with my lunch to work and keep them in the fridge until I go get him so he's not eating crap snacks.

[bobosensei]

How about anal suppositories for medicine

[milee]

Feb 20, 2014 15:27:14 GMT -5 @moneyjenny82 said:

I will sometimes remember to bring a snack (a fruit pouch or some crackers) in my purse to give to him for the ride home, but I guess I need to make that a regular thing. Even when he eats his lunch he still seems to be starving when we get home - as soon as his feet hit the floor he runs to the kitchen and starts asking for various things (milk, apple juice, goldfish, etc.) until he gets something. 

That's a boy thing.   Even if they ate lunch, they still are starving when they get home.  And it only gets worse as they get bigger....   (Just letting you know it's not a sign he's starving.  It's a sign he's a fairly normal boy.)

[happyhoix]

Feb 20, 2014 12:39:46 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

1. We bribe her. She gets a drink of pop if she takes the stuff.  Yep we're terrible parents. 

2. I don't worry about it to be honest.  It's not that long between lunch and dinner at home.  If you're uncomfortable with it pack a lunch or offer him a light snack when he gets home before dinner.

We bribed, too, only we used M and M's. Hey, if it gets them to take their medicine, it's fine, IMHO.

I also didn't worry about school, but at DS's day care they also had morning and afternoon snacks, and if he seemed hungry when he came home, I gave him a snack.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Mine always came home starving from dcp.  We ate earlier.  DD still is hungry when she gets home from school.  And I pack her lunch so I know she's eating it.  Playing and learning is hard work! 

[geenamercile]

Feb 20, 2014 12:27:40 GMT -5 @moneyjenny82 said:

1. DS had the flu last week and was prescribed Tamiflu. It was some kind of white, chalky liquid suspension that was "bubble gum flavored". DS HATES bubble gum flavored things, so it's always been hard to get him to take medicine. I don't think we managed to give him more than a full dose (5mL) over the entire course of 5 days. We BOTH held him down, but he would just start spitting so much that he was basically foaming at the mouth. We would try and try but then when it was obvious he wasn't taking any, we stopped. Needless to say it made him EXTREMELY upset each time we tried to give it to him to the point where we just stopped. I even tried sneaking it in his food/drink, but he knew and wouldn't take it. He's better now.
How do you handle giving your kids medicine that you know they won't take?

2. DS is getting to be a more adventurous eater but he's still kinda picky. He goes to daycare 3 days a week where he gets 2 snacks and a lunch. He used to skip lunch sometimes because I guess he didn't like what they served. Last night he had a super tantrum when he got home. Then I found out that he ate none of his lunch. I looked at the school menu - it was something I knew he wouldn't eat. I believe in natural consequences and I know skipping meal isn't going to kill him, but I'm uncomfortable with my toddler going without a meal. Should I ask about maybe packing a back-up option in case he doesn't eat, or should I do nothing and maybe he'll learn to eat what he's given?

Haven't read the rest of the replies but for 1) the bubble gum flavor from my knowledge is an add in, see if they can do another flavor instead.  But besides that I'm pretty good at squirting medicine in the back of the mouth and pinching the nose/ rubbing the throat to get it down quickly.  Lots of practice with dogs, cats, horses, goats, ect...  For number 2)  I would pack a back up lunch.    

[Deleted]

Talk to your pharmacist directly to find out what options you have for the prescription.I have one problem medicine taker and the doc didn't know what to suggest, but the pharmacist knew his stuff! Made life much easier once I found out what a fantastic resource was right there all the time!

I keep a case of mini-water bottles & trail mix packs in the car for snacking that can't wait. Sometimes there's a case of variety chips too. The unfortunate side effect of this is that as soon as the kids get in my car they are looking to get set up with snacks, even if they just ate!