How to get your kid to have medicines?

Kids until 1 year old are prone to fall ill frequently and there might be times when you would have to give drops, syrups and tablets in water. There were too many such instances for me ever since LG was born. His medicine cabinet was full, the first two months and things got better slowly only to grow worse during teething and the move to Pune.

Until LG was 12 weeks old, I was a happy mom when it came to his medicine eating habit. The most non-fussiest kid on that account - so many drops and syrups without the slightest oon. It all changed at 6 months. He has grown older and understands the difference between food and what is not food. Knows that something that follows a little while after food is not normal. This has given way to he becoming very aggressive and suspective even while I am feeding him normal food that his first reaction is to resist the spoon or turn the bowl upside down. The first spoon has become so much of a struggle that it takes me over 10 minutes to get him to taste and process that it is not bad food.

From a totally non fussy eater who used to finish a carrot or half a apple within 10 mins it takes me over 20 mins and dramatics now.

Some tips that helped me to make my kid have medicine and food:

1. If you get the slightest inkling as your kid grows older that he/she is averse to medicine but not to food, then mix it with food (if it is a tablet). I don't know if there is any harm in mixing food with medicine. I usually do it only in the last 2 spoons of cereal or with 25 ml water in a bottle.


2. Make it a total non-event by singing to him casually and placing him on my lap and feed the syrup with a spoon when he is smiling and pretend as though nothing happened. Yea, I know what you are thinking, he is not that dumb but I act like the dumb schmuck.


3. My local medical shop guy suggested Doctors here generally advise in giving syrups through the top part of the disposable syringe (with the needle removed, ofcourse). And let your kid chew on it. However, from my experience this was a bad one.


4. Wait a good 30 minutes after feeding before you give medicine so that your kid does not puke.


5. I play his favorite music or let him fiddle with his rattle or ask the seniol to do his famous jig during the tablet sessions.