How to Get Kids to Take Medicine – 7 Ideas

Getting kids to take medicine can be one of those parenting challenges that seem nearly impossible at times.

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Whether it’s because of the taste, the texture, or just the general dislike of taking medicine, kids can be pretty resistant. But with a little creativity and a few tricks up your sleeve, medicine time doesn’t have to be such a struggle.

Here are seven simple and effective ways to make giving medicine to your kids a little easier.

1. Mix it Into Applesauce, Pudding, or Ice Cream

One of the easiest tricks to disguise medicine is to crush it up or pour liquid medicine into a food your child already enjoys.

Applesauce, pudding, or even ice cream work well. If the medicine has a color that might stand out, go for something that will hide it, like chocolate pudding or chocolate ice cream.

Not only will this mask the taste, but it’ll also make taking medicine feel like a special treat.

2. Try MEDCOAT® Pill Coating

MEDCOAT® is a simple product that adds a flavored coating to pills, making them much easier to swallow.

This is especially helpful for kids who struggle with the texture or size of a pill. It comes in flavors like strawberry, and it makes the whole process smoother without changing the medicine itself.

Plus, it’s a quick and mess free solution for those who have trouble taking medicine.

3. Homemade Medicine Popsicles

For liquid medicine, a fun and effective trick is making homemade popsicles with the medicine mixed in.

Simply combine the required dose of medicine with any homemade popsicle recipe you can find online, and freeze it into popsicle molds.

Not only will your child enjoy a cool treat, but they’ll also get their medicine in the process without any complaints.

4. Use the Ezy Dose Kids Medi-Spout for Pills

The Ezy Dose Kids Medi-Spout is a lifesaver when it comes to giving kids pills. This simple tool attaches to a drink bottle or cup and helps kids swallow pills with their favorite beverage.

It eliminates the struggle of trying to get a pill down with water alone and makes the whole experience feel like a regular sip of their drink.

5. Use a Liquid Medicine Syringe

Liquid medicine often tastes bad but using an easy syringe can get it farther in the back of the throat so they don’t have to taste it as much.

6. Cover a Pill in Fruit Roll-Up

For kids who are more likely to take a pill, a creative way to make it go down easier is to wrap the pill in a piece of fruit roll up. The chewy texture of the fruit roll up makes swallowing the pill easier and the sweetness helps hide the bitterness of the medicine.

It’s an easy and fun way to help kids who need to take their medicine but resist swallowing pills.

7. Offer Incentives

Sometimes a little extra motivation is all it takes. Offering an incentive, like a small treat or a favorite activity, can encourage kids to take their medicine without much fuss. Or, offer iPad time or extra TV time. Any reward like this will work!

You can create a reward system where every successful dose earns them a sticker or a small prize. It doesn’t have to be something big, just enough to make them feel good about doing what they need to do.

Conclusion

Giving medicine to kids doesn’t have to be such a battle. With these tricks, you can find a solution that works for your child, whether it’s disguising the taste, using tools like a pill spout or syringe, or making it part of a fun treat like a popsicle.

Every child is different, so feel free to experiment with these methods until you find the one that makes medicine time a little easier. And when all else fails, offering a small incentive can be just the motivation they need!