Making The Medicine Go Down

Children are often at their worse behavior when they're sick (and who can blame them, because, after all, they're ill!) Toddlers on up typically want to feel they have some control over their sickness and the medicine they must take. While parents must remain firm that medicine must be taken, parents can provide some options of how, when, or where they take it. Consider asking: "Do you want to take your medicine before or after your bath?" Or, "You can drink something right after you take your medicine. What would you like?" (This, is of course, depending on pharmacy direction.) "Younger kids taking medicine through a pre-dosed syringe could perhaps push the medicine into their mouth; older ones can sometimes even hold the spoon. Choices such as, "Which style Band Aid would you like" or "Where do you want to take your medicine" often help a child feel more in control of the situation and a part of the solution.