Tips to administer eye drops/eye cream to 4 year old?

[KittenMama]

My 4 year old has had to be held today by myself and a doctor to administer eye drops and eye cream at urgent care due to an eye injury. Very much comparable to trying it with a cat with limbs thrashing out everywhere but she's obviously much stronger and wriggles more!

We've got to do this until the weekend, 4 times a day. Bribing/rewards will not work.

She's very tired and mixed with her understanding of what needs to happen and strength, I have no idea how to approach this logistically. I also don't want to cause her distress where we can avoid it.

Any tips?

Come from behind so you can steady her head, put it in the corner of her eyes then when she blinks it should go in. Wave chocolate in front of her while it's happening

Wrap her up like a cat...swaddle her. Keep things light...make jokes and sing or whatever she likes whilst you do it.

When mine had an eye injury aged 5, we were told to try putting in the drops once she was asleep. It worked. Good luck.

An auto dropper? She can hold it over her eye to involve her?

Meant to attach this!

You can probably get in a a few while she is sleeping. Drop it in the corner of her eye and slightly lift her eye lid.

I would show her on someone else with clear eye drops what you're going to do, so she can see the process. Get someone to lie down, put the eye drops in the corner of their eyes and ask them to blink. Hopefully, she'll see it's not traumatic.

Good luck.

I found it helpful to get the chikd to lie on their back and close their eyes before putting drops in the inner corner of the eye and then getting them to open their eye. With a 4 year old you might end up with refusing to open their eyes I suppose but it might be worth a try.

With the cream, can you put it on the upper lash as close to the eye as you can? Some will get in When she opens her eyes. You will probably waste a lot though, but can always get more if you need.

If you can put it in the nose corner while her eye is closed, it will run in when she opens. Usually a lot less stressful.

Oh yes, while she's asleep is a good suggestion, definitely!

Some really good suggestions, thank you. No doubt we'll be having to try all of these!

I was hoping to try at least 2 a day when she was asleep. She's on guard for it though and keeps muttering about her eye as I've just gone to have a peek in the bedroom to see if I can do it. I'm waiting for her to see if she gets into a deeper sleep soon🤞

@Pucarbuile

If you can put it in the nose corner while her eye is closed, it will run in when she opens. Usually a lot less stressful.

This is a great idea...say "We're not putting it in your eye, we're putting this one on your nose."

Pretend it's a different thing altogether.

When DS was small he had eye drops a lot. We found it was a two person job - one to cuddle him and almost pin him down, the other to stroke his face until he wasn't expecting it and then do the drops. Cream was strangely easier because it didn't sting as much so he tolerated it. He had both eyes operated on so the pain must have been immense didn't think to do it while asleep.

The cream needs to be administered across the whole lower lid. Doing it whilst asleep is a task in itself as any touch to the eye is waking her up.

This morning it took over an hour to get it done. I'm disappointed to say it's the only dose we've managed today. Going to do the next one shortly, one before bed and we'll have to try again during the night.

We did one person holding in a secure hug with arms out of the way (one tucked under my arm and the other held to the side) but she's very strong for her age.

It's really distressing having to hold her whilst she's screaming and trying to thrash around. Afterwards she did say it didn't hurt. I've mentioned doing it again and reminded her it didn't hurt but she's started getting worked up again.