How to give bitter pills to a child: useful tricks and secrets. How to give a pill to a child: useful tips

Without exception, all parents of children of the first year of life sooner or later face the need to give their child medicine. It could be vitamin complex, antipyretic mixture, antibiotic and much more. This requires a certain ingenuity - after all, the baby will not swallow a bitter pill with understanding, washing it down with water from a glass. But even more than ingenuity, parents will need attention and caution: it is extremely important to give the medicine at the right time and in the right dose, taking into account possible interactions with other drugs and side effects. Failure to follow the simplest rules, which we will try to formulate below, can lead to the fact that the medicine will not have the desired effect or even be harmful.

Larisa Chapelnikova
Pediatrician the highest category, children's City Polyclinic No. 13 at the hospital. N. F. Filatova

So the first rule is:

Medicine to an infant must be prescribed by a doctor.

This is a simple, obvious, but, alas, not always fulfilled condition. It is useful to remember that there are no "harmless" drugs. For example, vitamin preparations if used incorrectly, can cause serious problems(for example, an overdose of vitamin D, used to prevent rickets, is worse than rickets itself). And antipyretics are not used at any temperature rise, and not all antipyretics (even those that are available in children's forms) are recommended to be given to children today. And so on. Many drugs can cause allergic reactions, often the benefits of their use are less than the harm from a variety of side effects. Therefore, only a doctor can prescribe a medicine for your baby, taking into account his individual characteristics and contemporary ideas about the advisability of prescribing a particular drug.

Rule Two

Always read the text on the label.

No matter how many times you give your child the same medicine, a careful look at the etiquette remains a must. Having bought a medicine at a pharmacy, do not be lazy, check the integrity of the package, the expiration date, read what it should be appearance medicine, and if you have the slightest doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist for clarification.

In general, before giving medicine to your child, it is useful to clarify a few questions for yourself:

• What is this medicine and what is it used for?
• Does it work with other medications the child is taking?
• How often and for how long should the medicine be given to the child?
• What happens if the drug is dosed incorrectly?
• What do they consist of side effects And how soon do they develop?

Ask questions until you understand all the information on the label.

Rule Three

Be especially careful when choosing the correct dose.

The safety of any drug is ensured correct dosage and temporary s m interval between doses. For young children, drugs are available in special forms that are convenient for dosage and use. Usually these are drops, syrups, suspensions. In order to give the baby a liquid medicine, you can use special measuring plastic stacks, a syringe without a needle, a drip dispenser, measuring spoons.

Please do not use cutlery - a tea (dessert, tablespoon) spoon is not designed to accurately measure the milliliters of the drug you need. And further. Always use the measuring device that comes with this drug, and not the one that is “lying around” in your first aid kit. Sometimes suppositories (they are inserted into the rectum) or mini-enemas are used to give the drug. This form is convenient, for example, if heat the infant is accompanied by vomiting, and the drug administered orally does not seem to work. This method also has its drawbacks: with diarrhea or, on the contrary, accumulation stool in the rectum, the absorption of the drug is impaired. Besides than older child, the more emotionally he relates to this procedure.

A few words about giving the medicine itself

2. Play with your baby before you give him medicine. In the game, you can take the position that seems most convenient to you.

3. Do not make any preparations in front of the child, do not tell him what you are going to do in advance.

4. When the baby has to take medicine, he may be unhappy and angry with you. Remain calm and friendly, try to occupy his attention with something else.

One of the first questions parents of a newborn child have is: “How to give medicine to a newborn?”. Since the process of taking medicine in small children is very problematic, especially in those who have just been born.

It is very difficult for all parents to observe the process of the disease in a child, so they try to start treatment as soon as possible. But, as a rule, in this case, it is almost inevitable to take medical preparations. Small children do not know how to swallow whole tablets at all, especially when they are bitter and unpleasant in taste. What to do if the child needs to take the drug, but he does not understand at all why he should drink so unpleasant substance? There are many tricks that can alleviate such an unpleasant process and parents can easily give the baby syrup or pills.

How to give your child medicinal syrup or suspension

Medicated syrups or suspensions are the most gentle treatment options for a child. Quite often, drugs that are intended to be taken by babies are made in a sweet and pleasant taste, and they also have a rather interesting smell, so most children can safely endure their intake. How to properly give a newborn medicine, the attending physician should inform, and his duties include the following aspects:

1. dosage determination. Since the drug is in liquid form, we are talking about the number of milliliters. Usually, a tool is provided in a box with such a medicine, for example, a measuring spoon or a special measuring syringe (naturally without a needle), if there are none in the kit, you can use a regular medical syringe (without a needle). You should not measure the medicine by eye, as you can overdo it with the dosage, which is fraught with negative consequences;
2. show in what position to keep the child while taking the medicine. Usually, the doctor advises to swaddle the baby and keep it in the same position as when feeding. In this position, it is necessary to fix the baby's head in a slightly elevated position. An older baby can be put on the lap of an adult and held so that the baby does not get dirty.
3. If you can't manage on your own, you can seek the help of a doctor. The child can behave more calmly, since next to him will be completely stranger, whose actions are unpredictable for the baby.

It is considered correct to give medicine to a newborn from a special syringe or pipette. In this case, you should draw the drug into the device and drop it into the baby's mouth several times. It is not worth sticking a pipette or syringe, as the baby can bite and get hurt. A child who is already familiar with a spoon can be offered medicine in this way. If the child refuses to take it on his own, then you should push back slightly lower lip and at the moment when he opens his mouth, you can carefully pour the medicine. This manipulation should be carried out with caution so as not to injure the mucosa in any case. You can also offer your baby medicine with a pacifier. For example, you can dip the nipple in the suspension and give it to the child, or fill the bottle.

Some facts parents need to know

If the medicine is bitter and unpleasant in taste, then it should be poured into the baby closer to the root of the tongue. Thus, the child will feel the taste and bitterness of the drug to a lesser extent, and the swallowing reflex will also be caused due to irritation of the tongue. Therefore, in case of protest, thanks to the reflex action, the baby will swallow the medicine anyway.

It is correct for a newborn child to give medicine without first diluting it with water, milk, juice and other liquids. This is due to the fact that the baby can flatly refuse to consume large amounts of liquid with an unpleasant aftertaste. In case of refusal, the baby's body will not receive the necessary dose of medicine.

Note that when studying the question: "How to properly give medicine to a newborn", you must definitely pay attention to the fact that some medicines adversely affect the baby's teeth and gums, so after applying it is necessary to clean the oral cavity.

How to give your child a tablet or capsule

A large number of medicines, which are assigned to babies, are made in the form of a syrup or suspension, however, there are times when it is necessary to treat a child with pills. This is a rather complicated process, but if you follow the basic rules, it is quite easy and realistic.

Basic rules for taking medicines in the form of tablets and capsules:

• First of all, you need to make sure that the drug is allowed for children. Be sure to check with your pharmacist or doctor for compatibility with other medicines and certain nutrition;
• define the required dosage, and what part of the tablet should be given for use. If the child cannot swallow even part of the tablet, then it can be ground into powder, mixed with a little water and given to drink. For example, with capsules, the process is much easier, since it can be opened and the contents divided.

Necessary advice during the period of treatment with tablets in the question: “How to give medicine to a newborn?”:

• do not dilute the tablet too much in large numbers water. If the tablet has an unpleasant taste, the baby may refuse to drink this drink. AT this case it is easier to offer the baby only a small spoonful of water with the drug. If you plan to give medicine from a bottle, then the tablet must be crushed very carefully so that all particles pass through the hole. You can also dilute the tablet in milk, so the baby can take the medicine for feeding;
• you should not add a pill to food, because in case of an unpleasant taste, the baby may completely refuse to eat;
• if you have a choice between tablets and suspension, then be sure to use it. You probably realized that it is easier to get the child to take the medicine in the form of a syrup or suspension;
• should not give in mental state, must remain in calm state, and not succumb to the manipulation of the baby;
• try to distract the baby while taking medication, for example, read a fairy tale or turn on his favorite cartoon. A newborn baby can sing a song. Constantly talk to the baby so that he feels that nothing terrible is happening.

How to give medicine to a newborn? What moms on the forums advise:

1. Dilute a bitter tablet in water and carefully pour into the mouth, then apply to the chest;
2. Give medicine with a specially designed syringe;
3. Tightly swaddle the baby, put the syringe in the cheek and gradually pour it in;
4. dilute the tablet breast milk and dial into the syringe, and then carefully pour into the mouth.

How to drink the drug correctly

Parents try to give the baby a tasteless medicine to drink, but you need to know some rules, namely:

• the antibiotic is not washed down with milk, as it can disrupt the structure of the drug. As a result, the child will not receive the full effect of the drug;
• do not drink the medicine with tea, as it contains caffeine, which can reduce effectiveness;
• juice should not be given to the child, as the acid contained in their composition reduces the effect of the drug. For example, aspirin does not need to be written as juice with the taste of various citrus fruits, and cranberry juice is completely incompatible with drugs.

This article was supposed to help you figure out how to properly give medicine to a newborn, as well as warn about undesirable actions in taking pills, suspensions, etc. The health of the child is the most valuable thing for every parent, although the kids themselves do not like to be treated at all. Remember that in any situation you need to remain calm so as not to create a panic for the baby. The future attitude of the child to medicines may depend on your actions. You need to interest your child in taking the medicine, then such an unpleasant the procedure will pass easily.

It happens that newborn babies get sick. At the same time, the doctor prescribes certain medications. But how to give medicine to a newborn child if he cannot swallow pills, and tends to spit out unpleasant-tasting syrups and suspensions? Many parents use these or other tricks that help the baby take the medicine and not even notice it.

How to give suspension and syrup to a newborn baby?

These forms of drugs are most successfully tolerated by the child. In most cases, they have a pleasant smell and taste that does not scare away the baby. If your pediatrician prescribed a suspension or syrup for your child, then follow the rules below:

1. Measure your dosage accurately. Never do it by eye. Otherwise, you can either overdo it or underdo it. Usually in the box with the drug there is a syringe or a measuring spoon, with which it is easy to determine the desired dosage.
2. Don't forget to shake the bottle medicine. Suspensions usually separate during long-term storage. In this case, the active substance settles to the bottom.
3. Hold the newborn in the usual position for feeding. You can swaddle him.

Now proceed directly to the treatment procedure:

In order to give medicine to a newborn, the following items can be used: a teaspoon, a pipette, a syringe without a needle, and an ordinary pacifier.

Remember that if the medicine is bitter, then it is best to infuse it as close to the root of the tongue as possible. This will help to swallow the suspension faster and minimize discomfort. Also, do not dilute the suspension with various liquids, unless otherwise indicated in the instructions.

How to give pills to a newborn?

Often, pediatricians prescribe children's forms of the drug - suspensions, but it also happens that you need to give a newborn a pill. How to proceed in such a case? Yes, very simple. The dosage should be calculated correctly, if necessary, dividing the tablet into several parts, crush it, dilute it with a teaspoon or tablespoon of water and give it to the child using one of the methods described above.

Here are some tips to follow when giving pills to your child:

• Do not dissolve the tablet in a large volume of liquid;
• Do not mix the tablet with breast milk. Otherwise, the child will refuse to eat;
• If you have been prescribed any medicine, ask your pharmacist if there is a liquid children's form of the drug;
• Do not dissolve antibiotics and aspirin in milk. It interferes with the absorption of the drug.

If you are interested in the question "How to give medicine to a newborn", watch the video in addition to the article.

There are several ways to give pills to babies or other forms of medicine:

• tablet crushing;
• medicine in a syringe;
• pacifier and medicine;
• suspensions and syrups;
• candles;
• tight swaddling when taking medication.

A few words about education

Doctor Komarovsky says:“From the moment of birth, try to build the right pedagogy. You will especially need it when the child gets sick, because if the parents decided to do something, and as a result of the mother’s cries, “no” turned into “yes”, then this does not mean that the mother is raising the child, but vice versa.

• if the child at least once deviates from your decision, he will understand that it could be otherwise;
• if you establish contact with the child from the cradle, then it will be easy for mom or dad to negotiate with him. He will easily open your mouth to take the medicine.

Method number 1: tablet crushing

Read the instructions before crushing the tablet. Some drugs, such as the antibiotic Flemoxin, reduce their effectiveness when crushed.

A small child perceives better the world during the game. Set up a hospital at home. Seating Stuffed Toys, dolls and play as if they are all sick and need a magic pill, after taking which they will all be healed and run to play on.

Method number 2: medicine in a syringe

Nowadays, most children's syrups come with special syringes without a needle. In this form, the medicine for the baby without sudden movements must be injected over the side surface of the cheek.

It is better to give the medicine in small portions of 1 - 2 ml. Possible within 20 minutes. There is nothing wrong if you can not give everything at once.

If you give the whole volume at once, the child can just spit it out. And if a little bit - he will not be able to spit.

Method number 3: a pacifier with a secret

The easiest way to give medicine to an infant is to dip his favorite nipple in the liquid form of the medicine and offer him a secretion pacifier.

There are some nuances here. The baby can spit out the pacifier and no longer take it. Therefore, there is another option: dip first in medicine, and then in something sweet. For example, in honey (if there is no allergy).

Method number 4: tight swaddling and medication

Mom of 2 kids says: “The youngest daughter, being in infancy refused to take the medicine. We couldn't give it. Therefore, I took a diaper and swaddled it tightly so that it would not break out. Dad held it, and I poured a magic drug into my cheek from a syringe.

Of course, the method is not the best. It will come in handy in case nothing else helps.

The most delicious and pleasant dosage forms for children. The sweet taste has its benefits. The child easily swallows the drug. But, if the baby had allergic reactions, then it is better to refuse syrups. Replace with solutions or powders. They are usually sugar free.

Method number 6: candles

This form of the drug avoids oral administration. It is important to remember that if a child liquid stool, candles lose their effectiveness.

It is better to put candles on a child under 1.5 years old, since at an older age, children can specially strain and run to the potty. Or they take it out themselves.

Taking medication

Things to keep in mind while taking medication:

• some tablets should not be mixed with food or drinks;
• do not add medicine to fruit puree, soups. Feeling the bitter taste, the child will simply refuse to eat them in the future;
• antibiotics should not be mixed with milk. This reduces their effectiveness;
• buy antibiotics in liquid forms. When crushing their tablet forms, the effectiveness of the drug decreases;
• anti-inflammatory drugs should not be given with juice, which neutralizes their effect.

newborn and medicine

In the first month of a baby's life, it is necessary to use medicines very carefully. It is better to drip them with a pipette, slightly moving the lower lip.

When a child is sick in a family, it is always an experience for parents. Consult your pediatrician before giving medicine. Read the instructions carefully. And to the question of how to give the medicine, you may have already found the answer in our article.

When sick, children become more capricious, and persuading them to take a pill becomes an ordeal. Especially if it has a bitter taste. What experienced mothers and pediatricians advise when a child flatly refuses to take medicine. How to properly divide and mix tablets with other products.

Consultation with a doctor - what can replace bitter medicine?

Before puzzling over how to give a child a pill, it is worth checking the appropriateness of the appointments. Of course pediatrician will not prescribe unacceptable drugs to the child, but parental vigilance can be very helpful.

In most cases, if a child cannot drink bitter medicine, or worse, it causes him to gag, the pediatrician should choose an analogue in another dosage form- syrup, suppositories, suspension . What else needs to be done is to clarify that the medicine is appropriate for the child's age and is compatible with his diet and other medicines.

If there is suspicion of the incompetence of a doctor, it is better to consult another doctor about this.

Usually a bitter medicine is prescribed if contained in a sweet syrup. Another reason is the fact that many diseases in last years"rejuvenated" and pharmaceutical industry has not yet created the required drugs in an acceptable form. If changing the drug fails, there are a number of tricky ways to get the child to take the bitter pill.

How to give a pill for the first time to a child?

If the child communicates well and has no negative experience with medication, you can try to talk to him. Explain that being sick is not good, and only a pill can help. Here, the imagination and enthusiasm of the mother can come to the rescue.

For example, you can treat your favorite toy by giving it a magic medicine, or very seriously tell that an evil gnome is hiding inside the pill, which needs to be swallowed urgently. If the kid is already smart, he can be told in detail and in an interesting way that pills are a weapon against microbes.

Children are much more willing to agree to drink medicine from a beautiful cup, or toy dishes (previously washed).

The main thing Do it confidently and calmly. Seeing the concern of the mother, the baby can be even more capricious.

Should a small child crush a tablet?

This question must be clarified with a doctor. The fact is that the components of some drugs are absorbed only in certain parts of the intestine. Such tablets are produced in an acid-resistant shell, which should dissolve gradually as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract.

Violating the surface layer, many parents do not think that in this case the effectiveness of the drug is greatly reduced. Besides, film sheath performs the function of protecting the oral mucosa, esophagus and stomach from irritating action active substances . For the same reason, many tablets should not be taken with anything other than water.

As a rule, such drugs do not have a bitter taste and can be given to a child without worrying about how he will react. The difficulty may lie in persuading him to swallow the pill without biting it. To do this, you can train your child in advance to swallow small pieces of sweets (for example, marshmallows) without chewing.

If the tablet does not have a protective shell, then it can be safely divided into parts, using such a tablet divider, or crushed.

And to mask its unpleasant taste, there are many simple and not very ways.

How to neutralize the taste and make bitter medicine sweeter?

The easiest way is to hide the pill in food. To do this, you need to crush the tablet with two spoons, if it is a capsule, then you need to open it and pour out the contents.

To "ennoble" the taste of the medicine, there are many ways:

• Mix the resulting powder with sugar or powdered sugar.
• Place in chocolate candy, raisins, strawberries. The main thing is that the child does not chew the delicacy too much. But it is best to place the tablet in a small piece of banana, its sliding structure will help the baby quickly swallow everything without feeling anything.
• Mix with honey, jam, condensed milk (if there is no allergy). Pediatricians recommend using rosehip syrup for these purposes. Only after that you need to rinse your mouth, as it contains vitamin C adversely affects tooth enamel.
• If treatment is carried out in hospital setting, doctors advise buying an ampoule with glucose and diluting the pill in it.
• So that bitterness is not strongly felt, you need to drop a crushed tablet vegetable oil sprinkle generously with powdered sugar on top. The oil will create a kind of film and prevent the powder from mixing with the sugar.
• Dilute with juice, milk, tea, but first you must definitely try and make sure that the tablet does not greatly affect the taste of the drink. Make sure that the powder does not remain at the bottom of the cup or bottle.

It is best to dilute the resulting powder in a small amount of water or any other liquid so that the child drinks the entire dose in one or two sips. Otherwise, it will not be easy to persuade him to drink the medicine again.

The most important thing is to do all these manipulations so that the child does not see anything.

Human taste buds are located mainly on the tongue. Therefore, you need to give the medicine so that it gets as close as possible to the larynx. It is convenient to use a long spoon for this. Also, many parents prefer to mix the medicine with water in a syringe (no needle) and squirt into the area between the tongue and cheek. So the child will hardly feel bitterness and, most importantly, will not be able to spit it out.

Some medicines leave bad taste in the mouth and destroy the enamel, so after the child has taken the pill, you need to wipe your mouth with a napkin or brush your child's teeth.

An ordinary straw can be a useful assistant in this matter. When a child takes a pill with water from a straw, the sucking action pushes the pill down faster.

Once upon a time, mothers managed to dip a tablet in thick gelatin, after drying it could be given to a child, avoiding tears and tantrums. Today in the pharmacy you can buy a special glaze for tablets . It has a pleasant taste and aroma and does not react with the medicine, which means it will not affect its effectiveness in any way.

Another plus is convenience, this glaze can be used for tablets different shapes- halves, quarters and just small crumbs. It smooths out all uneven corners, making it easier to swallow, eliminates the unpleasant taste at the fracture site.

Video instruction glaze for tablets

What can children mix medicines with?

Before mixing a tablet with food, you should consult your doctor, as not all tablets are compatible with food. This is especially true of juices and milk, they are able to change chemical composition the drug itself and affect its effectiveness.

Basic rules that parents need to remember when mixing tablets:

• Antibiotics should not be taken with milk, as it disrupts the structure of the drug.
• Juice neutralizes the action of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
• The tannin contained in the tea can interfere with the effect of the tablets, so if possible, the medicine should be given to the child separately from the tea.

How not to give medicine to children?

Pediatricians categorically do not advise mixing a bitter pill with the food that a child needs to eat constantly. - yogurt, porridge, soup. There is a risk that, having felt an unusual taste there, the child will forever refuse to use it.

Basic rule - do not scare or injure the child.

If the baby spit out a certain amount of medicine, you do not need to give it right away. next pill- it is fraught with an overdose.

It is also very important to maintain the child's trust. If you say that it is delicious, he is unlikely to take his mother's word next time. After the baby voluntarily drank the medicine, he must be praised, and perhaps he will swallow the next pills just like an adult.