Giving My 2 Year Old Medicine.

Updated on April 05, 2008
H.S. asks from West Plains, MO
14 answers

My daughter is 22 months old and will not take medicine for anything. I have tried nearly everything I can think of. I bought her one of those munchkin pacifier medicine dispenser and she will ocassionally take medicine out of it. On her own time. Is it okay to mix tylenol or whatever with Juice and let her sip it through a straw? That's the only thing I have left that MIGHT work. Any advice would be great! :)

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all of the advice! I have figured out a way that works a majority of the time with her. Distraction is the key! Ha! I do plan on trying the applesauce/pudding thing though! Sounds like a winner!! Thanks again for all of your advice!

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T.D.

answers from St. Louis on

always always give medicine in applesause.Try that,it works for me.My 3 year old can not take medicine for nothing in the world he gags,untill i started to put in somthing he loves to eat.or pudding. Hope that works.

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R.

answers from Oklahoma City on

When our daughter was an infant we would put her medicine in her bottle give her like one oz we knew she would eat then let her have more. I don't see why it would have a problem with an older child. If she takes it that way then I would give it to her.

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J.B.

answers from Kansas City on

Sure! Most meds can be mixed with something to drink. The only one's you shouldn't are ones that are time-released, but she won't have any of those. Just be sure its a small enough drink that she will finish it all or it won't do you any good to get a half dose in her.

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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

You should be able to mix medicine with any liquid and let her sip it thru a straw. There may be some meds you need to verify this with your doctor, but most can be mixed with any liquid and given that way. You can also mix it with pudding or any soft food (yogurt, etc) she likes and feed it to her. Just make sure you get something that has a similar flavour. Like Cherry tylenol probably wouldnt work in chocolate or plain vanilla.

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J.A.

answers from St. Louis on

I understand the frustration you are having with this situation. My daughter is seven and I still have trouble getting her to take meds, even the chewables. It is always an ordeal etting her to take them.

The nurse in me needs to tell you that it isn't good to mix suspensions with juice. Depending on the med and the juice it could inhibit or boost the effects of the med. Plus a suspension is particles of the med suspended in a viscous fluid, if you lessen the viscosity of the fluid, by adding another fluid, the med sinks to the bottom, where it usually stays. This is obviously more important in a perscription med, but it could be the reason why the tylenol isn't very effective. With a perscription ALWAYS ask the doctor about mixing with other fluids if you know your child has this problem. The flavor mix ins that the pharmacy has are made to not interfere with the action of the med, and they work pretty well, unless you have a super picky kid, like mine.

I usually skip the tylenol for a low grade fever, it's not worth the fight, plus the fever is the bodies way of helping to fight the bug, but when her fever gets too high , I just have to talk her into doing it for me. I usually have some water standing by to follow the medicine, she'll agree if I'm ready to take the medicine cup and hand her the water immediately!

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S.N.

answers from Kansas City on

I have some suggestions, give me a call tonight at ###-###-####, thanks!

Naomi

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B.S.

answers from Kansas City on

The little boy I watch has to have his aspirin smashed up with juice- it's the only way he'll take it (he needs it for a blood thinner). I put it in a syringe and it's just one quick push and it's all done.

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H.H.

answers from Kansas City on

This may sound gross but it works and a friend of mine told me this worked for her kids so I tried it as well. Lay the baby down. put the meds toward the side or back of their mouth and blow real fast in his mouth. The blow makes them swallow and the medicine is down. I don't know how well that would work with a 2 year old as they fight more but works for infants. They didn't have time to spit it back out.

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R.G.

answers from Kansas City on

I am a mom of 3 and I know that my daughter did not like tylenol and others. If you are trying to ease a cold, what worked for her is if I made her some chammomile tea, she would drink that and it would calm her and really help her sleep. Just one tip for a tylenol/pain reliever alternative. Also, I think that stores sell other types of edible chammomile tablets perhaps. Have to check with pharmacy or natures pantry type stores. Hope it can help.

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E.O.

answers from St. Louis on

My twins are 3 and I have Always used an oral syringe. Easiest way to give it to them.

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M.F.

answers from Springfield on

That should work. Once my daughter got to where she could take 5ml of tylenol or motrin, I started giving her one chewable instead, so much less trouble! Check the dosages on all over the counter liquids you use and compare them to the jr. chewables, you may find that she can take chewables!

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M.G.

answers from Kansas City on

When my son was 2, he had a really high fever,and the ask a nurse hotline told me to put the Motrin in his applesause or yogurt. He felt so bad that he wouldn't take the medicine. It worked for me. He immediately fell asleep and his fever was greatly reduced when he woke up.

Good luck!
M.

A.H.

answers from Tulsa on

If it's a prescription, sometimes the pharmacy can mix in a flavor. I think Walgreen's does it. Also, sometimes I wait until my son is asleep and then give it to him. I hold his head up a little by his neck and put the dropper as far back as I can and squeeze it out. That shocks him into swallowing and he doesn't fuss too much.

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H.I.

answers from Bloomington on

I had the exact same problem with my daughter. No mater what I did she would taste the medicine. And if we tried holding her down she would spit it out. I even took the medicine into the Dr. and said "you give it to her" and she said she was one of the toughest children she had encounter.

My answer; Fever all suppositories. The are sold over the counter. Use a little vaseline on her and it will help the suppository slide in easier. She will cry, but you will have the medicine in her. Good Luck.

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