Tips for giving eye drops?

[imwithspud]

Dd2 is nearly 9months old and has an eye infection so we are having to give drops 4 times a day.

It's a total nightmare and she's clocked on to what I'm doing now so as soon as she sees the bottle she closes her eyes tight and screams bloody murder!

We've tried distraction but it's difficult to be accurate without her spotting the dropper bottle. Anyone got any tips? Short of pinning her down and holding her eyes open (which feels cruel although it's for the best) I'm at a loss.

[Mumchatting]

No advice, just sympathy! I have the same problem but with my 20 months old DS. He has an ongoing allergy and I struggle every time to put the drops into his eyes. He closes his eyes. I put the drops and wait until he opens them so there is a little chance that the drops will go into the eyes once he opens them.
It's just really hard because he hates this so much and it's also 4 times a day.

[haventgotaclue1]

We've been there too - DD's 15 months old and we've been prescribed drops about 3 times for conjunctivitis. The last lot was probably the best so far, but it still take 2 of us to get them in. We lay her on the floor / changing mat and whilst I'm putting the drops in, DH has to hold her head still. Like you said, it's not particularly pleasant, but if the 2 of us do it, it's pretty quick and sty least the infection clears up . Good luck!

[LillyBugg]

Yep hold down and prize open eye unfortunately. Do it quickly and confidently and it's less stressful. By the end of the course we weren't fighting over it quite so much. DS was about 14 mo and it was for conjunctivitis.

[LillyBugg]

Is prize spelt correctly? It looks wrong.

[Shirkingfromhome]

I've had this with ds also, it's a nightmare. It sounds really brutal but I kneeled either side of his head and clamped his head between my knees so he couldn't wriggle. Even if they have their eyes shut as long as you get it near the eye (like the corner) when they blink it will be moved around anyway. I felt awful each time I had to do it but it was the quickest way.

Hope it clears up soon

[imwithspud]

Thanks for the advice and insight everyone There's definitely been an improvement today. Not in terms of administering the drops but she didn't wake up with her eyes stuck together this morning. Hopefully once the week's worth is over we don't have to do it again!

[Greaterthanthesumoftheparts]

Try putting the drops right in the inner corner of the eye whilst laying down, even with the eye shut, as they blink it should run in.

[imwithspud]

Thank you, that's basically what we've been doing but I've been worrying that it's not been effective enough.

[Shirkingfromhome]

I find the head between the knees method much more effective than squirting eye drops at the back of my toddler's head as he bolts after spying the eye drops