It is that time of year, Spring, yes; but it is also the time of year when we are all on some sort of
medication. Spring/Summer colds, the extended flu season, allergies, sinusitis, ear infections, etc; they
are plentiful right now. Fortunately, there are medications to help us and our children through these
ailments when needed, but they don’t always agree with our little ones. I am sure you have uttered the
words, “Don’t spit it out,” on more than one occasion when giving your kids medications that they
genuinely need. And, on more than one occasion, one of you ends up wearing the medication because
your little one did the exact opposite of what you asked.
There are a few tricks to avoid this mishap. First and foremost, always explain to children who
can understand why you are giving them the medicine and that it may not taste so great. Many kids just
need reassurance as to why you are adding something new and “not so great” to their routine. If they
know it will help them, they tend to go a little easier on you when that first taste of bitter hits their
tongue. If taste is a huge issue, there are ways to disguise the taste. Typically, pharmacists use flavoring
in many of the medications prepared for children, but some may not – so always inquire about adding
flavoring to the medication. For children greater than 1 year of age, you can mix the medication with
chocolate syrup or honey…just remember that honey should never be given to anyone under 1 year of
age as it can cause botulism! You might want to also consider using Cool Whip to disguise the
taste…who could resist such a treat? Regardless of how you disguise the taste, make sure it is only
mixed with a small amount so you can ensure your child receives the whole dose of medicine!
Another trick, especially with smaller children and babies, is to use a syringe and squirt it into
the cheek. By doing this, the medicine bypasses a majority of the taste buds. An added benefit to using
this method is that dosing with syringes is a lot more accurate than dosing with medicine cups, so it may
even be worth your while to continue using a syringe with older children as well. If you do not have a
syringe, ask your pharmacist and he or she can provide you with one! If you are using the syringe
method, make sure the child is in an upright position and that you only squirt smaller amounts into the
cheek, so that he or she doesn’t gag.
Until next time…
