I called the doctor’s office and practically BEGGED them to give me a new prescription.
“You’re just going to have to force it into her mouth, drops at a time, with her head tilted back.”
WHAT?!?!?
Let me back up a second. Last week we went to the doctor to get a blistery rash in her diaper area checked out. It had been there for a bit, wasn’t getting better. Although it didn’t bother her in the slightest (so strange), it seemed off to us.
The doc said it was a bacterial infection and prescribed an antibiotic. Great, I thought, she took her other antibiotic like a champ when she had an ear infection so this will be the same.
LOL. Did you know all antibiotics taste different? I did not.
The first couple days, my toddler (a young toddler, 13 months) took the medicine, albeit more and more begrudgingly. Day 3 – flat out refusal, though we managed to get a few drops down. Day 4 – flat out refusal (I was sick in bed all day, but husband reported complete failure).
We tried forcing – although we were probably not as forceful as we could have been – and we tried mixing with food. Nothing. Worked.
Day 5 – I made the call to the doctor and was told to suck it up (more or less).
So I did it. I held my precious baby (SCREAMING TODDLER) and forced her to take the medicine. It was a slow process. It took 20 minutes the first time because I had to do it drop by drop by drop by drop – she would hold it in her mouth as long as possible and try to spit it out (even with her head tilted back).
But then. The next morning – yes there was crying and teeth clenching, but she swallowed each spurt of medicine fast. The same thing at night.
Was it terrible? Yes. Am I traumatized? YES. But it worked, I guess. I mean yes, it worked – my priority is getting her to take. the. darn. medicine.
This is something she needs, but she doesn’t understand that – so it’s very tough.
Anyway – I am asking you guys: what strategies did I overlook, specifically for toddlers (with whom you can’t really reason or make a bargain (bribe))? What have you veteran parents learned that could help other struggling parents?
BTW, she forgives me pretty fast each time, as you can see 🙂
-Stephanie
