My 4 year old needs an expectorant. I have tried to get her to take two different flavors of mucinex, only to have her spit it out saying, "ICKY!"
She is a wonderful, mostly cooperative child - but does not respond well to power struggles. She's quite stubborn. So, force is not going to work (I tried it). Punishments haven't worked. Rewards haven't worked.
Any suggestions? Other expectorant cough medicines? Other approaches? I really do need some help on this one.
Thanks everyone!!!! I did need the expectorant because the doctor had heard some 'wheezing' and we were trying to avoid having to go to an inhaler to calm down the irritated lungs.
I have mixed it in with chocolate milk, and it goes down like a charm. Next time, I'm just going for the strips!
For real bad coughs and a serious case, we have had a prescription expectorant prescribed. No problems with bad taste in that one.
The thin strips dissolve in the mouth in seconds - as soon as they are on the tongue. That worked with my 4 y.o. I also read recently that a teaspoonful of honey will calm a cough just as well as cough syrup. Also a humidifier in the room at night will help with congestion.
I S.,
Have you considered changing her diet, giving her childrens probiotic, calcium and a mineral supplement. Getting most children off all animal diary usually helps with mucus problems. Also giving her peppermint tea with raw pure honey will help soothe the mucus membranes and help with elimination.
On this website, there are several pages to read and understand. I would suggest starting with the theory page, and realize with children under the age of 18 should be helped with the few supplements suggested above with the rest done with diet. The Reading page has a list of books you can get at any library for you do to more research.
Hope this Helps
Blessings
J. M
My daughter never took medicine well either. I started buying sour gummy worms for her anytime she needed to take medicine. She got to hold one in each hand. The sour/sweet of the gummies seemed to always quickly get rid of the yucky medicine taste.
While this problem may have been solved by the posters who suggested disguising the liquid with other products, taking strips or different meds, I am posting for the parent with a drug that is so essential that it can't be changed and so expensive that you can't risk them not taking it with some other substance.
Cold numbs the taste of things. Ask the pharmacist if the med can be refrigerated, if so, give it cold. Give the child an ice popsicle before the med, when it is half eaten, give the med and then let him or her finish the popsicle. Have child hold the nose until it is swallowed and then quickly putting the ice pop in the mouth both help. This only works with a cooperative child. When I read these stories I am so grateful for healthy kids and my heart goes out to those moms who live with this nightmare on a daily basis - not just cold meds.
K.
I put yucky meds in homemade fruit smoothies.
Yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, banana, milk and sometimes peanut/almond butter.
Blueberries and banana cover up a lot of other tastes.
HTH
K., mama to
Catherine, 5.5y
Samuel, 2.5y
Baby due 9/09
I would just keep the air very humid, rub vicks on her chest regularly, etc.
Try Mary Poppins's approach and add a spoonful of sugar. It may sound silly but it even worked on my stubborn husband when he needed to drink some TheraFlu.
i had to give my daughter a horribly gross flavored grape antibotic 2x a day for 10 days. she would literally gag every time i tried to give it to her. the nurse recommended that i mixed it in chocolate milk and it actually worked. it was the only way she would take it. i would mix the chocolate on the strong side in about 1 oz of milk then give her the normal choc milk after the doctored version. good luck!
My 3 y/o daughter took medicine just fine until right after her adenoid surgery and of course due to the circumstances I mixed everything with juice and now she will not do meds any other way. I mix it with a small amount, give her a straw and tell her to drink up!
My daughter used to throw up when we would give her medicine. We would have a good tasting drink in our hand and tell her that if she took this medicine then she could HURRY UP and take a drink. It worked for us. Good luck!
Our pediatrician recommended Delsym, and my kids like the citrus orange flavor. A pregnant friend once said Delsym was the only cough med she could keep down when she was pregnant and the only one her kids will take, too. My general approach with cough meds is not to give them at all during the day, and only give them at night when the coughing is keeping them from getting sleep. Coughing is the body's way of getting the bad stuff out (like fevers, too), so it isn't always beneficial to keep the body from doing what it is supposed to do, at least to a point.
My daughter turns 4 in August & cough medicines is about the only medicine that she won't freely take, so I've had to resort to other remedies in the past. Her pediatrician actually recommends using honey over cough medicines...it supposedly works just as well & is healthier. Try these remedies...
Mix 1 cup of grape juice with 1 teaspoon of honey.
or
Mix honey with juice of fresh lemon and take as needed.
or
Mix equal parts of lime juice & honey.
Not only does honey help soothe the tickle, it also has antibacterial properties too.
HTH!
Try the triaminic this strips. NOT the liquid. That stuff is nasty! My boys take medicine quite well, though.
Good Luck!
Before I give you any advise was the expectorant prescribed by the peditrician? Pharmacist as well as doctors rarely prescribe anything for common colds. My grandkids love all kinds of medicines but when they are sick I try giving them lots of liquids and honey before any medicines.There are lots of home remedies that will work for you son, give them a try
Have you ever tasted Mucinex? It is literally the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted! Definitely falls under the "ICKY" category in my book. LOL However, the form that my child will actually take and says doesn't taste bad is the little granules in the packet. (She feels the same way about pill and liquid Mucinex that I do.) If I remember correctly, she likes the grape the best. I've heard the strips aren't too bad either. If your little one keeps having to take it, you might try one of those.
My daughter wont take it either. I tried everything she is 1 year old. Finally I forced it down her and felt like a really bad mother. Then she threw it up. The doctor said she will get better eventually with out it. She did.
She is 4, ask you doctor/pharmacy if it comes in a chewable form. Perhaps this will help...My twins (same age as your daughter) will often take a chewable tablet where they won't drink the liquid at all...
Good Luck...
there is a kids mucinex that is in powder form in the flavor of grape and i think bubble gum.
S.,
This may sound strange, but it works. Don't use cough medicine. Get Vicks Vapor Rub or generic brand and coat the bottom of her feet and put socks on. It is like a miracle, it works for adults, too.
BonnieW
There have been studies that show pure honey is more effective in soothing coughs than cough syrup. Since she is over the age of 1, it is safe to give it to her. I do it myself and it works. Good luck.
