By Hadley Gavin
Managing your child’s medication is no easy feat. Not only do you have to sometimes convince your kid to take medicine, you have to remember dosages, timing, as well as keep track of any side effects that occur as a result of the medication.
While it’s definitely uneasy to manage a child’s medication, there are all sorts of tips and tricks that make the process a little easier.
Here are 7 you’ll want to practice routinely:
- Explain How Medicine Helps
Sometimes children are so adverse to medicine because they don’t understand the purpose of it. If your child is old enough to understand, talk about how medicine helps them feel better. Many kids just associate medicine with being disgusting taste or hard to swallow. By explaining what the medicine does, your child may be more willing to take the medicine.
For example, if your child takes Vyvanse, talk about how the medicine can improve their capability to focus their mood, and their ability to do well in school. By talking about the benefits, your child is likely to be more interested in taking medication.
- Discuss the Dangers
While it’s important for your child to know why medicine is so beneficial, it’s also important to talk about the dangers of medication. Teach your child that, unless they are old enough, they are never to medicate themselves. Talk about the dangers of taking too much medicine in a day. Set rules so that your child knows not to touch medicine unless you are giving it to them.
For further safety, ensure all medication is sealed with a child-proof lid. It’s also important to store medications in a place where your child cannot easily reach them. This will give you peace of mind that your child isn’t taking medication without you knowing.
- Have a Schedule
Remembering to take your own medications can be a struggle, let alone remembering to help your child take their medicine! One of the best tips you’ll ever need in regards to managing your child’s medication is to create a schedule and stick to it. Depending on the dosage that your child requires, it may be easiest to take medicine at meal times, such as at breakfast and at dinner.
By sticking to a schedule, you minimize the risk of skipping a dosage or giving your child too many dosages. By having a schedule, you take the guessing game out of managing your child’s medication needs.
- Opt for Child-Friendly Versions
Thankfully many of today’s medications are available in much more suitable forms for children. Since capsules can be hard to swallow, ask your pharmacist if your child’s prescription is available in liquid or chewable forms. Chewable pills are much easier for children to take, especially small children.
If flavoring is available for liquid prescriptions, allow your child to pick a flavor that he/she enjoys. This makes taking medicine much more exciting and a little less disgusting taste.
For medications that aren’t available in chewable or liquid forms, ask for capsules or pills that can be easily broken into smaller pieces. This is especially important for younger children who may be unable to swallow a whole capsule.
- Keep Track of Side Effects
As a parent you see that most medications have some sort of side effects attached to them. Since it can be hard to figure out the right medication and dosage to treat your child’s condition, be sure to keep a detailed list of any side effects that your child experiences. If the side effects are constant or worsen, it’s best to discuss with your child’s pediatrician.
While you may notice certain side effects, always talk openly with your child about how they feel. Though younger children may be unable to clearly articulate their physical symptoms, you can likely get an idea of any side effects that your child may be experiencing such as nausea, sleepiness, headaches, or other side effects.
- Partner with Teachers
If your child is in school, there’s a chance that he/she may need to take medicine during school hours. While having a set schedule helps, it’s best to partner with your child’s teachers to ensure your child is administered the necessary dosage during the school day.
Be open with teachers about what medications your child is taking as well as common symptoms that occur when the medication is wearing off. With more adults helping out, it’s a little easier to manage medication needs.
- Stay Positive
Getting through the initial process of teaching your child how to take medication can be hard. While there will be frustrating times ahead, stay as positive as possible. Continue to talk about the benefits of taking medicine and always be open to listening to your child’s concerns or worries.
Conclusion
With these tips you can more efficiently and easily manage your child’s medication. No matter if you’re responsible for administering one medication or five, these tips are sure to come in handy.
Did you find this article helpful? Leave us a comment with your thoughts in the section below.
