5 Year Old Refuses to Take Her Medicine

My son is also 5 and he's been able swallow small pills for awhile, which he prefers than the liquid medicine taste.

You know what...my daughter just had tubes put in her ears and they gave her the nastiest medicine i'd ever tasted in my life. with the first one they told me to basically shove it down..and then give her water after (some meds you can't mix with water or juice) and the second one they said not to worry about it. try mixing it in with mashed potatoes or other foods...or putting it in her juice. or maybe even bribe her...tell her that if she takes her medicine she'll get candy...at least she would take her medicine maybe....

Are they pills or liquid?

Did u try getting it flavored? U can at most pharmacies now. Have u tried putting it with a little milk or juice or whatever drink she likes, just put enough in there that you know she will drink right away, so that you will be sure she gets it all!

Hi J.!

At the age of five, you should be able to explain to her why the medecine is so important. Ask what she doesn't like about it. If it's the taste, opt for a different flavor at the pharmacy. You may need to call her doctor and ask for an alternative...like ear dtops instead. The most important thing is to never pretend like the medecine is candy. The two need to remain very seperate.
You can start to practice taking pills so that in the future she won't have to take basd tasting liquids...m&m candy is easy to practice on. Good Luck!

I would take her to the chiropractoro to get adjusted--they adjust the back and neck so that our nerves are free of any pinching or impediment and can make sure the body is functioning correctly. Ask around, and make sure the chiropractor is going for health and welllness, not just an ambulance chaser!

is there someone she looks up to like an older sibling or cousin? my sons love taking medicine cuz the big kids do it

My daughter got the nastiest medicine in the world...I went to sonic and had them sell me a little slush syrup in a gravy cup...cherry is great...it doesn't take very much and my daughter looked forward to the medicine. I've also used the juice from marichino cherries (I know I spelled that wrong) it works too...

Yes if it is liquid put it in some icecream or put a little sugar in it, just something to make her get excited about her medicine time. My baby brother would never take his. Just get creative with it make it look fun.
Hope all works out for you hope your daughter gets better.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

~Angel~

I feel your pain, as I've been there myself. We have bribed, money, extra tv, toy, whatever is your daughter's weak point, I'd do it. You could also try explaining what the medicine does, try that route, or offer to take something yucky with her. Let her do something out of the ordinary, maybe call someone on your cell phone (if that would be a privilage) and let her tell them how brave she was. Hope something there works.

When my kids won't take their medicine (liquid anyway), I mix it into a bottle or cup of juice. They don't even know they are taking it that way.

what kind of medicine did they prescribe? maybe call your pharmacy for different "routes" of entry...sometimes meds can be mixed with yummy food, sometimes not.

Is it a pill or liquid? If it's a liquid, you can have flavors added at Walgreens. Or just go straight to bribery, that always works for me.

Hi J.,

I have experienced this battle myself. It seems that if someone else, a neighbor or a relative outside the home give them their meds they will take it no problem. Especially if you are not around. Frustrating and a little extra work, I know, but kids know how to "play" us parents. It amazes me how they act when we are not around. You can always try the kool aid method, that works some of the time. Kids are just too smart these days !! Good luck!

Hi. Have you tried getting it flavored or putting it in some juice? My son gets alot of ear infections and ive found getting it flavored helps alot.
Ash