Getting Toddlers to Take Their Medicine

Mary Poppins may be the original Super Nanny, but I don't know many moms anymore who would want to "bribe" their kids with a spoonful of sugar to get them to take their medicine (although I do know a few who have resorted to this measure). With a horrible cold and flu season still upon us, do you find yourself regretful after pinning your toddler down to take medicine? Or scraping spit-out antibiotic off their chin to make sure they get the whole dose?

Often it isn't against the medicine that toddlers are really fighting, but for some measure of control. Here's some ideas to try:

• Validate Her Dislike - When hearing, "I don't want to" or "I don't like it", we sympathize that no one likes taking medicine, including us, but our bodies need our help taking the medicine in order to feel better.
• Explain Why - We talk to our daughter about "The Yicks" and how they get in our bodies from other sick people. She knows that our bodies sometimes need help kicking out those yicks to make us feel better. Healthy eating, hygiene and medicine are the main ways we do this -- most of the time (not always to be sure), she's on board.
• Let Him Choose His Weapon - Have a selection of spoons, droppers, medicine syringes and medicine cups that he can choose from. (Be sure to double and triple-check you are using the correct amount if you deviate from the doser that came with the medication.)
• Let Her Do It Herself - If she can, let her hold and regulate the medicine. For a while our daughter's favorite was using the dropper by sucking the medicine out! It takes longer, but avoids the screaming and wrestling match.
• Pay Attention to Flavors - with so many brands to choose from you can find most over-the-counter medicines in most flavors. Lately, I pick my brands based on who offers grape, my daughter's current favorite.
• Be Creative and Expect Change - Like everything else with toddlers, what works changes minute by minute. Other ideas we've used to establish her sense of control and overcome objections for our daughter include letting her choose which of us would give her the medicine, having her give a doll or toy medicine first, changing hated red medicine to pink by adding milk, letting her pick which nostril first for her nose spray, and renaming "tropical" flavor medicine "yellow lollipop" flavor.

It's important to remember that taking medicine really ISN'T fun, especially when you are already not at your best. A toddler is the most vulnerable when not feeling well, and establishing a sense of control can help a toddler feel better even before the medicine takes effect.