Of Life & Toddlers

If you had to choose between wrestling a bear or having to give your toddler medicine, you’d probably pick the bear in a heartbeat.

All jokes aside, getting your toddler to take medicine willingly can be quite tricky.

So, if you’re wondering how to get your toddler to take their medicine without any fuss then try these hacks.

How to Get a Toddler to Take Medicine

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1. Get the syringe

If your toddler has to take liquid medicine, it’s a great idea to use a syringe instead of a spoon or cup.

Syringes make it incredibly easy for you to dispense medicine in your little one’s mouth without making a huge mess.

Also, if you angle the syringe towards the rear of their cheeks near the gums, you’ll miss their taste buds making it less likely they’ll gag or spit it out because of the taste.

2. Use medicine flavor drops

Using medicine flavor drops such as Yummy Meds can help to mask the bad taste of certain antibiotics and syrups.

These natural sweeteners not only makes bitter medicine taste better but can save you time from waiting in line at the pharmacy for your pharmacist to mix in flavors for you.

Yummy Meds come in a variety of delicious flavors such as strawberry, grape and bubblegum.

Plus, you can use these drops to enhance the flavor of several beverages and foods such as water and yogurt.

3. Give them a popsicle

Giving your toddler something cold, such as a popsicle, before taking medicine can help make it more palatable by numbing their taste buds.

Another option would be to chill a spoon in the freezer and place it in your toddlers mouth for a few seconds before administering medicine for a similar effect.

4. Try taking a bath

During a bath is a great time to have your little one take their medicine because they are more relaxed and in a calm mood.

Also, if they spit it up any medicine it makes any messes a whole lot easier to clean especially since they are already in the tub.

5. Dip it in sugar

A little bit of sugar can go a long way to getting your toddler to take their medicine willingly.

One way to do this would be by wetting your syringe or spoon and quickly dipping it in sugar before dosing medicine.

You can also try giving a small spoonful of chocolate syrup or yogurt before, during or after administering medicine as this will help to coat the tongue making the medicine more palatable

These are some of the best methods to try if you want to get your toddler to take their medicine without fussing.

Although taking medicine may not be the highlight of your toddler’s day, the process can go a lot smoother with these simple tricks making the whole ordeal more pleasurable.