There is absolutely no getting away the truth that, every once in awhile, your children need to take medicine. There’s also no escaping the truth that, every once in awhile, they just won’t like to! Often, youngsters are prepared to take something in the beginning, but any parent who may have been required to administer repeated amounts of any unwanted medicine will confirm the reality that it is far from a nice experience! Knowing that, allow me to share 4 techniques to be able to put into practice that ought to help you {|in the event the} problem arises.
Portray a Positive Attitude
When we know that a child isn’t going to like something, we tend to visibly sympathise with them. This is no different to administering medicine – the natural reaction is to sympathise and say “I know you won’t like this” when it is actually far more beneficial to be cheery and positive about the experience. Approach it with a smile and excitement, and your child will be more likely to respond positively.
Hide it In Food
While this might not always be an option, in many cases it can work. Consult with your pharmacist or doctor beforehand, but if crushing a tablet into a sandwich won’t do any harm to the medicine’s effectiveness, it certainly won’t do any harm to your child! Of course, this is not the ideal solution, but when needs must…
Make it the Child’s Decision
One simple way of getting your child to take their medicine is to frame the choice about taking the medicine as something that the child makes. Rather than ask your child whether they want to take their tablet or not, or when they want to take it, give them two or three options that all involve taking it. This could be a choice between before or after a snack, or before or after watching a cartoon. In this way, the child feels in control, but only has two choices, both involving a positive outcome.
Explain Why
And finally, when it comes to older children, one simple way can be to calmly explain why it is that they need to take the medicine. This is not a process of scaremongering or trying to shock your child into taking their medicine, but simply explaining that if they want to get better, they have to take their medicine, and how it will help them. Many children are willing to overcome the displeasure of taking a medicine that tastes unpleasant if they understand why they have to. Treating the child with patience and respect can often go a long way in this regard.