Many parents have trouble getting their children to swallow the liquids and pills they need to be healthy. Virginia pharmacist Tara Kompare has created an acronym called "MED TIPS" to help:
- Music magic. Put on music, sing and do a funny dance to distract them.
- Encourage participation. Even toddlers - who love to do things for themselves - can help measure doses and put medicine in their mouths under careful supervision.
- Delivery device. Try out different options for giving medicine, such as pacifier dispensers, dose cups and syringes. Let children decide which one they like best.
- Trickery. Disguise the taste with chocolate milk, yogurt or ice cream (although be sure to check with your pharmacist first to make sure a particular medicine can be mixed safely with dairy products). Using reverse psychology also can work - as in, "Don't you dare take that medicine!"
- Imitations. Make animal noises together to get kids to laugh and/or open their mouths. Or pretend they're magicians and ask them to make medicine disappear.
- Pace yourself. Let your kids decide if they want to take medicine in one big gulp or little sips.
- Sweeten it up. Many pharmacies can add flavors into your child's prescription on request. At home, you can mix some sugar or chocolate or caramel syrup directly into liquid medicines or coat the spoon with them. Just be sure to explain that medicine isn't candy and kids should never take it outside an adult's supervision. And store medications well out of their reach.
---
(c) 2008, Daily Press (Newport News, Va.). Distributed by Mclatchy-Tribune News Service.