31/2 Yr Old Wont Take His Medicine When We Do Get in Him He Throws It up and Els

Updated on April 19, 2010
W.C. asks from Spring Hill, FL
17 answers

Anyone know of a way to keep him from throwing up every time he gets his med

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J.J.

answers from Orlando on

I had the same problem. The only thing I can suggest is to let him have a small bit at a time, followed by a swallow of water or juice. My son's problem is the meds would make him gag from the flavor, so he vould vomit. If we gave it to him slowly, with the water in between sips, he was able to keep it down

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K.R.

answers from San Diego on

mix it in a little of his favorite juice? You can also get medicine in different flavors--I just saw an ad for Target with 10+ flavors that can be added to OTC or prescription (I don't think it has to be filled there either).

My daughter used to refuse Tylenol, but then I got grape flavor, dilute it with CapriSun or water, and mix it with a yellow CapriSun straw (presentation counts!), and now she loves to take it out of the little medicine cup.

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A.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

Boy that brings back memories! I used to be the same way. I have a vivid memory of being 6 and my mom and dad forcing me to take liquid medicine and me throwing it up. To this day I refuse liquid medicines. I have learned take pills and strips. If I have to take a pill that has a bad after taste I will use something strong like chocolate milk/mint ice cream as a chaser.

Here are some medicine tips I found from http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/health/misc.html

• Wash down every dose with chocolate milk, get a star/sticker if it's taken without TOO much fuss, and a small pre-agreed reward (toy, treat, outing) at the end of it all. (Do allow for some fussing anyway - there has to still be the prize at the end).
• Suppositories - There's an alternative to Tylenol by mouth; it's called FeverAll, and it's an acetaminophen (the same medicine as Tylenol) suppository. It comes in strengths small enough for infants. Just a little lubricant (e.g. Vaseline), up the bottom, and that's it. Ask your local pharmacy. You can also try to hide the Tylenol drops in yogurt, fruit sauce of milk
• Cold medicine: look for chewable tablets for children. We just tried this with our 18-month old and it totally works. Triaminic children's chewable. Ask your doc first. He popped it right in his mouth where it immediately dissolved.
• Dr. Sears' method: You make a ''cheek pocket'' by pulling back one cheek and deposit the medicine a small amount at a time into the cheek pocket. It runs down the side of the mouth so the child can't spit it out and it avoids most of the tongue so he or she don't taste much of it. You can buy big medicine droppers in most drugstores marked in teaspoons or whatever you need.
• Experiment with the different flavors
• my five-year-old NEVER liked liquid medications, so I gave her a pill (Advil, it's candy-coated), and that's all she'll take now
• chocolate syrup
• Just wanted to pass along this tip to other parents: Recently my son was prescribed some medicine which only came in pill form. He had never swallowed a whole pill before and the bitter taste made chewing the pill unbearable. My husband came up with the idea of inserting the pill (broken in half) into red vine licorice (which my son likes) by cutting a small sections of the vine, opening the ends and shoving the pill inside.

Good Luck!!

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S.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

I told my son that I would force him (it was not bad tasting). I had to force Amocaciline (when he had an ear infection) with a syringe for two days before he decided that he would take it on his own. Not so fun for me or him - but hopefully I will never have to go through that again.

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M.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

We still have problems with our 6 1/2 yr old. If the med can be prescribed in a capsule w/ fine powder in it then you can open it up and mix it in something he likes...choc. pudding, cake icing, ice cream, etc. Good luck!

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C.H.

answers from Orlando on

You can get liquid, or powder forms meds. You can then mix it without him knowing it is in there, and I am sure he has some favorite foods or drinks. You should also make sure he does not have a problem with swallowing, and I understand some people cannot swallow pills. You need to be creative, and make sure he takes his medications. I would not even let him see the bottle, or talk about medications around him. It would be a top secret mission with me, and I did it with my own kids. They did not have problems swallowing pills, but would refuse some meds. They took it anyway, and had no clues. You want your child to be healthy first, and you cannot make happy all the time. Good luck!

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D.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

When my kids were smaller and they had to take an antibiotic for 10 days, I would just have the nurse give them shots so we wouldn't have to fight scream and usually NeVEr get any in their mouths 3 times a day. If there is an injectible, ask the doc!

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D.B.

answers from Miami on

mix it with jam or something similiar that he likes to eat

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P.K.

answers from New York on

Mix it in applesauce. It is done with the young and old and works like a
charm.

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A.G.

answers from Orlando on

My child throws up his medicine also. The nurses at Arnold Palmer showed me a trick that works for him most of the time. Put the syringe in between his cheek and his teeth...toward the back, but not too far to cause a gag reflex. Give a little bit at a time and then blow in his face quickly to cause a swallowing reflex. Then I laugh or smile in case the blowing scares him...he is used to it now though! Hope this helps.

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R.T.

answers from Orlando on

W.? This is a mama site, but whatever...

You didn't say what kind of medicine or how often he needs to take it and for what duration. If it's something he needs to take daily for a really long time (like a preventative allergy medicine), I would for sure try bribes. My son likes mini marshmellows or semi-sweet chocolate chips (found on the baking asile), and just offering him a few of either one of those works like a charm and is just a small amount of sugar.

If it's a short term thing like a twice a day antibiotic, see if you can take it back to the pharmacy and pay a small fee to have them add a flavor to it...then do the bribe thing to get him to try it. If he likes it, you may be surprised that he'll take it without a fight next time. I stopped using the syringe thingy they give where you squirt it in their mouth-- I pour it in the little measuring cup thingy and hand it to him and he drinks it himself.

I have never tried adding it to anything like juice or applesauce because if they only eat part of it then you have no idea how much medicine they got in them

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L.G.

answers from Boca Raton on

our doctor told us a while ago to get one of the cup medicine dispensers line the tope with crystal light powder, then put in the medicine, this way the crystal light is the first thing he taste and not the medicine. Its really not a way to stop him from throwing up but maybe make the process easier.

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S.C.

answers from Tampa on

My oldest son is the same way!! Very anoying!! Anyway - we started about about the same age with getting capsuls or pills. Something we could open or crush and put in jelly or yogurt or chocolate syrup. It works liek a charm every time! He use to throw up at the sight of liquid medicine - even as an infant we had to put it in juice. As he got older we had to find juices that were stronger to hide the taste - Lemonade and fruit punch are about it.

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G.C.

answers from Chicago on

Can you mix the medication in applesauce or yogurt ,even ice cream? Tell your doctor or pharmacy. Medications can have flavors added to them to mask bad taste. I used to give my daughter her meds with Olvaltine and she never noticed.

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K.M.

answers from Tampa on

The body will throw up things that it finds are contra survival to it.
Take a look,K

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Have you tried giving it a little at a time rather than all at once? Have you tried a treat right after the medicine? Good luck!

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S.X.

answers from Chicago on

lemon aid or chocolate milk, very little so he doesn't have to drink much (like a few gulps)

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