- One of the most frustrating situations parents especially mothers have to deal with especially when a child is sick; is that child who refuses medications!!!
Yes, try all you will, the child will not budge. Most will keep their mouths shut so tight, not even a drop will slip through. Sometimes, this has pushed some mothers to force-feeding approach just to give medications.
Just imagine after all the stress and anxiety of a sick child; then you manage to go to the hospital to see a doctor or the Paediatrician. Perhaps you have to endure a long wait at the Government Hospitals just to see the doctor. Wait forver for laboratory results to confirm the diagnosis. After a long day, you finally got the prescription and arrive at home to start the drugs hoping for quick relief only for the World War 3 to start.
The child refused to take the drugs. Sometimes you harass and forcefully give the medications with lot of cryings and shouting. Just after you are congratulating yourself for mission accomplished, you heard a small retch, before you can blink, the child has vomited all the medications!!! Back to Square 1!!!
I can imagine the frustration. In fact I have been there as well.
For those mothers with amazing children who promptly swallow all their medications even the bitter ones, you may not understand how blessed you are.
So for those of us who have to battle their children each time just to give 5ml of Paracetamol; this article is for you. God even help you when you have to give 3 or 4 different medications at same time. This situation can be quite overwhelming for the already stressed mother.
So I will be sharing a few simple strategies on how to give oral medications to the unwilling child.
Of course you know as Paediatricians, we frown heavily on forceful administration of drugs. So that is not allowed at all!!!
SIMPLE Â WINNING STRATEGIES
1. GIVE MEDICATIONS ON AN EMPTY TUMMY EXCEPT WHERE CONTRAINDICATED
I know most mothers believe that medications must be given immediately after food. That is not always true. Indeed, there are few medications that can must be given after food. Some can be given before food.
So for the reluctant children, you may want to give them their drugs before food. This will reduce the chances of vomiting compared to when medication is given on a full tummy.
Also the very young infant is more likely to take the medication when hungry before they  realize it is not food and if you give food afterwards, they will easily forgive you and not vomit out the drugs. Try it and see.
2. GIVE DRUGS IN SMALL QUANTITIESÂ
You may also want to give one drug at a time and in small sips instead of combining all the various medications each 5ml each together and hoping to give at once in one gulp. It is far easier to take 2.5ml first then later another 2.5ml till you are done rather than attempt to give all 20ml at once!!! Chances of throwing up the drugs is also less.
In fact you can use syringes to give one drop at a time in very young babies.
3. GIVE DRUGS AT INTERVALS
This applies when you need to give 3 – 4 or 5 different medications to the one and same child.
For example for malaria treatment, you will likely have been asked to administer syrup ACT antimalaria, Paracetamol, Vitamin BCo or Multivitamins. There is no need to give all at once!!
You may want to start with the most important or the sweetest for example the ACT. Then wait 30 minutes before giving the Paracetamol and another 30min before giving the vitamins. This will also help the child tolerate or cope easier rather having to deal with 3 or 4 drugs all at once.
4. YOU CAN HIDE DRUGS IN FOOD
If like in most African setting, the child is already taken solid food especially the bolus (aka swallow) with soups, you can hide tablets inside such boluses and allow the child to swallow with copious amount of lovely tasting soups especially the so-called draw soups like okra or Ewedu.
Most children will swallow such drugs without even knowing they have taken it.
For children who like ice-cream and the medication is not bitter (and compatible with the Pharmacist’s advice), you can mix drugs with small ice-cream for the child to take. Other options include tea, juice or other sweet-tasting multivitamins that the child will regularly take.
5. ALWAYS TASTE MEDICATIONS YOU GIVE TO KIDS
You must always taste them. Most children do not like bitter drugs and as much as possible avoid such.
For example, always try and buy the pleasantly-flavored brands of medications. For example I will rather give Paracetamol Suspensions rather than the syrup to a child who is fussy about taking medication. The suspensions are sweet while the syrup is bitter.
You can always ask your Paediatrician and/or Pharmacist assistance as regards the appropriate brand for the fussy child.
6. YOU CAN REPEAT MEDICATIONS VOMITED BEFORE 30 MINUTES
If a child vomits medications given immediately or shortly after, you can wait for 30 minutes and repeat the medication.
7. KNOW YOUR LIMITS AND GO FOR ALTERNATIVES IF NO LUCK
No matter what you do, some children will still not tolerate drugs. If the child continues to vomit the medications despite repeats or using all the above strategies, then it is time to get professional interventions.
Kindly take the child back to the hospital. Such medications may have to be given via the intravenous or intramuscular routes.
I hope these strategies help or at least reduce the stress of giving drugs to children for parents who struggle in this regards. Let me know your thoughts. Drop your questions or concerns in comments section below. Thank you for reading.
Gud day docs. I am well informed now. My son is 4 yrs plus n he has had febrile seizure more than ten times. He is placed on tegretol 200mg per day. Dr was one he convulsed after taking his medication n he was resuscitated wt oxygen. My question is that is d drug nt meant to stop seizures
The drug is meant to stop seizures but the dosages may be adjusted and there may be need to add other medication if there is no improvement with one drug. Kindly take him to see a Paediatric Neurologist. Usually Tegretol is given twice a day, not once a day
Thanks Doc. Atimes i have to resort to taking back the child for other options. but i think i know .better now
Kudos Ndidi….Things surely get better with time!
My daughtwenof 3+ has been running temperature for a few days now with cattarh and cough following. We have treated malaria and given antibiotics with Medicine for cold and it persists. She also has very cold feet while at this. What could be the problem.
Kindly take the child to the hospital to see a doctor or a Paediatrician if you have not done so. I hope all the above are not just self-medication? It is important to go early to the hospital so the child can be properly evaluated and treated as soon as possible. Delay can be very dangerous!
My daughter of 9months stool and vomit, was taken to hospital and given injection… She vomit every time I give her drug.. even ors nd zinc.. She is active and not feverish. Help a worried mum… Her poo still sink
Then you have to take her back to the hospital as they may have to give intravenous fluids (drips) so the child does not become dehydrated. Please treat as urgent.
Tnx for this writeup doc, God bless you. After Applying all the tricks above, my baby still refuse to take her drugs. I always hold her nose and quickly pour the drugs before he will now take it. Hope there’s no effect holding her nose
That is force feeding the medication and is wrong and I don’t think you have tried all these tricks because one of them is giving them in small bits using a syringe and that will achieve the same as what you are trying to do which can end up causing the medication to go the wrong way (airway) – aspiration.
Goodday Ma.
My daugher of 2yrs is a picky eater. Eats all foods like rice, beansz, yam, swallow but in small quantities. She is 10kg now with 3kg birth weight. My worry is our constant visits to the hospital almost every 2 months treating infection and malaria. Could it be as a result of poor immune system . Dr says she will out grow it by age 5 . what can I do to reduce her regular illness
Well it is the doctors that have been treating her that can explain the reason for the frequent hospital visits. I will encourage you to have this conversation with her Paediatricians.
Good day Dr…. i was just going through this article… And was just laughing… my son hates drugs right 4rm birth… last week my son was ill and was given oral medications…. we tried all the tricks u recommended but non worked we ended up going 2 d hospital and d drugs where given intravenously… some of this kids are wonderful and they know when u try to trick them…. kudos on d job well Done… God bless u and ur team. Amen
Thank you Oluchi…As a Paediatrician, I believe you completely; some kids can so make mockery of all the best Paediatricians’ tricks but we will deal with them with jabs; we just have to keep them healthy and alive if that’s what we have to do…lols
Thanks for this doctor, but please can it also be added to pap for an eleven months baby.
It is better to avoid such so the baby does not stop refusing the food in future even when the medication is not added.
ma pls i need your advice ,Im a first time mum,i have tend to be careful,i went for my baby immunisation @9months and i was the first to be attended to,i always observe that a needle pack that contains 6needle 4 immunisation is always open,but today i saw the nurse pick one needle that was in the cartoon she used ,before opening a new one to pick another and use it both for my baby because i took two vaccines,the problem now is ,someone told me that needles and vaccines not used are returned,im now scared,that maybe the needle she used on my baby was already used,nd my baby may be at risk of disease.do u think i should be worried?
I doubt that is the case…but the best person to ask is the Nurse as we are not there. Most often have a syring attached to the vaccine if it is a multidose one (for everyone) for withdrawal, then they will attach a new needle to administer on your baby. Next time, clarify immediately!
ThAnk you so much ma for this article…my son hates medication with a passion…mixing with tea have been helpful for me,but sometimes I feel am diluting the drug, but thanks for the clarification now…
You are welcome Blessing
Good evening Doc, my daughter of almost 2years has catarrh since she was 4 months. We have been to hospital several times, all the drugs given didn’t work. The catarrh goes on and off. It comes for 2weeks, go for 2 days, comes for 2 weeks, go for 2 or 3 days. That’s how it has been. What can be done to it and what could have been the cause.
Note please: she is not exposed to cold, even if we try to prevent cold, she sweats alot, she sweats more than we her parents.
It sounds like something allergic since it is recurrent. Kindly take him to see an ENT surgeon for further evaluation and management
Please ma which multivitamin can I give a 5 year old who is just recovering from Malaria and doesn’t have appetite?
Any Multivitamins is fine…however the poor appetite has more to do with the malaria itself and the side effects of the antimalaria medications
Thank you so much Doc for all your teachings and advice,God will continue to bless and keep you.my two years old son was treated of malaria and upper respiratory infection,he was given injection,the treatment ended a week ago,he is ok now,no more fever,but he looks weak, and always want to lie down,I told the doctor, he said he will be fine, please advise,is it normal for a child to be after treatment,I started giving him multivitamins yesterday. Thank you,am sorry for my long post.
It is possible because of the side effects of treatment. However if you are not comfortable, the child should be kept in the hospital till he is better and strong
Please ma’am what’s the difference between paracetamol suspension and paracetamol syrup
The method used by the Pharmacist – suspension tends to be sweeter than the syrup.
Good evening ma.
Thanks for the write up. My child falls in the 6th category but the doctor said there’s nothing she could do if the child keeps vomiting the drugs.
Can I add it to his cereal?
Thanks
I am not supposed what category you meant…you should read this article and follow the suggestions on how to give medications to children who don’t like taking medications. We don’t recommend adding medications to cereals as you may end up having the child refusing both food and medications. There is option of giving injections as the final options but if you follow the principles of giving the medication written in the article, you should be good. Your question suggests you have not really read the article.