Giving medicine to 4 year old

[Weeza1908]

Looking for advice on how to get any form of medicine into my 4 year old. She has always battled taking any medicine and it is now getting to the point that she won’t take her daily asthma medication. We have tried forcing it and she is just sick, hiding in drinks and food but just spits it out or refusing and clamps her hands over her mouth. She is so stubborn and strong willed, we have tried bribing, taking favourite toys away, you name
it we have probably tried it. This week she has had a temperature at times of near 40 but still refuses and if we manage to get anything near her lips she just throws up. I’ve asked the chemist for unflavoured calpol but apparently they don’t do that. Spoken to the gp and they can’t suggest anything.. the a&e doctors last time she had an asthma
attack didn’t believe me until they had to give her some medication and it took a doctor; 2 nurses, a hca and me to get it in her moth and then she just threw it back up.

Does anyone have any suggestions or alternatives?

Sounds so simple but have you tried explaining to her why she needs it and talking through her fears- asking her what would help her take it

We have tried that, we have explained it will make her better and she used to take her asthma medication but since this recent virus she wont even take that as she thinks there is calpol in it. We have let her mix it up so she know we haven’t put anything in it but still no good. I’m trying not to lose my patience as I know that won’t help either but im at a loss what to do and know she is going to end up really poorly at this rate and the doctors just think i’m exaggerating and need to be tougher with her

To be honest if reward charts, bribery and explaining don’t work I’d have no choice but to punish for not taking. I know it sounds harsh but there clearly isn’t another option.
btw I do say this as a mother of a 4yr old who takes daily epilepsy medication, granted I don’t have issues as she’s been taking it since before she can remember but that is what I would have to do because her medication is so important.

My nearly four year old loves calpol - until she actually needs it! Then it’s near impossible to get into her, in the past when her temp has been around 40 I’ve asked the drs to prescribe paracetamol suppositories, that could be an alternative for the paracetamol when she needs it at least? I doubt that would be any help with the asthma medication though I’m afraid.

If it's the paracetamol that's causing the problem, can you try suppositories instead? Obviously very important that she does not develop an aversion which would stop her getting the benefit of her asthma meds

Thanks ladybirdlashes. I asked my gp about those and they said they didn’t want to prescribe suppositories at her age and I should be able to force the medicine but I think I will try again as we need something.

it is actually nice to hear I’m not alone, the doctors and health visitors make me feel I’m just not trying so not really helpful. We will give the punishment a go.. she missed her cousins birthday party today as she wouldn’t take her medicine but that didn’t seem to bother her but will continue and see if that gets anywhere.

Oh man I remember this phase.

what helped in the end was getting DD a doctor’s kit and having her give ‘medicine’ to her teddies. We roleplayed LOTS. In the end it made it fun (especially as pretend medicine was originally milkshake… then juice… then strawberry smoothie so calpol would be similar-ish!)

tbh I would concentrate on the asthma medication.

paracetamol or ibuprofen are for pain relief. the 'side effect' is that it lowers a fever. but generally, fever is a good thing. it part of thd body's defence against viral or bacterial infection.

What about making something to be "medicine" for you and then taking it at the same time? Or asking Doctor Teddy to administer medicine to a very important patient?

Thanks all.. we’ll try the role play with her asthma meds as that is mixed with yoghurt each night. we have tried giving pretend medicine to her dolls but then won’t take it herself but I’ll try with me and something to look like medicine aswell. Even her older brother has pretended with squash in a syringe or on a spoon but she happily gives it to him but then refuses! My mum stays she gets her stubborn streak from me although I was never this bad 😂