How to Convince Your Child to Take Their Medicine

Getting your child to actually take their medicine can be easier said than done.

From digestive health to cold and flu medication for kids, at The Online Drugstore, we offer all of the medications and supplements you need to keep your child healthy. However, the real challenge is not finding the right medicine, but rather, actually getting your child to take the medicine in the first place. At The Online Drugstore, we understand how frustrating it can be when you know that your child needs medicine but you just can’t seem to get them to take it. That’s why we’ve come up with these expert tips:

#1. Go into it with a positive attitude.

While you may not be able to reason with a baby or a young child to get them to take their medicine, they will pick up on your emotions. If you are frustrated and annoyed when the time comes to give your child their medicine, your child will pick up on it and mirror your attitude. It will also make them associate taking medicine with negative emotions, which is the last thing you want. Instead, approach the situation with a positive attitude and a smile on your face. Trust us, having a good attitude can make a much bigger difference than you might think.

#2. Give your child more choices.

Children have very little control to begin with, and when they’re sick, their sense of control will diminish even further. Forcing a child to swallow medication when they’re already feeling like they have no control can often make the situation worse. And while choosing not to take the medicine isn’t an option, you can still give them a few options so that they feel like they have a little more control over the situation. For instance, you can give them the option to take the medication with a cup or a syringe, the option to take their medication before they get dressed or after they get dressed, the option to take the medication while they are sitting in the kitchen or on the couch, etc.

#3. Take precautions to prevent choking.

If your child chokes on their medicine, it’s not going to make them very enthusiastic the next time they need to take it. In fact, it’s only going to make the situation worse for everyone and could even put your child at risk. Here are a few precautions to keep in mind to prevent choking:

• If a dose is too big for your child to swallow at once, don’t be afraid to give your child multiple, smaller doses instead of one big one.
• If you have an infant or a toddler at home, squirt their medicine into their lower cheek — not in the back of the throat.
• Always ensure that your child is in a seated or upright position before giving them any medicine.

#4. Explain why the medicine is important.

If your child is very young, reasoning with them probably won’t work, but if your child is a bit older, you may be able to convince them of why taking their medication is important by simply being honest with them. This is especially true if your child has an illness or injury that could prevent them from doing something they want to do. For example, say you’re planning on taking your child to the zoo, but you can’t go unless their cold goes away. When your child knows what’s at stake when they miss their medication, it might make them more willing to actually take it.

#5. Give them a tastier option.

The bitter taste of medication, particularly when it’s combined with a loss of control, is enough to make any kid want to turn their nose up. Luckily though, these days, many of the top manufacturers of children’s medication offer all kinds of different flavors to choose from. If there are multiple flavors to choose from, allow your child to choose which one they want. Not only will this help to cover up the nasty flavor of the medicine, but allowing your child to choose the flavor they want may make them more excited to actually take it.

In our next blog, we’ll be covering a few more tips on how to successfully convince your child to take their medicine, so make sure that you stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for medication for your baby or young child, our baby care shop at The Online Drugstore has you covered. Shop with us today!