How do you get teenagers to take their medicine?

[KatyMac]

Aaaarrrgggghhhh

She has been taking it all her life; she has been 'forgetting' all her blooming life too

We go through periods where we sign each day to say she has taken it, then we just watch her, then we ask her then we trust her

Then we find she is 'forgetting' again & it starts all over again

Did I say "Aaaarrrgggghhhh"

Is it tablets or an inhaler? If tablets go to a days of the week pill box?

Both

Maybe that would work

We generally know how many are left & DH has taken to noting down the number of 'puffs' in the inhaler weekly (which is how we know she 'forgets')

I reckon she'd still forget but it would be easier for us to tell if she had

She took it this morning - I stood over her

I suppose it's up to you whether you give her the responsibility or not, at some point she will have to have it

Can you link it to her dancing - no more competing or lessons if she doesn't take on the responsibility???

Yes I tried that

She is just aaarrrggghh & I am frustrated

Sorry I didn't mean to be rude

But did you follow through with the consequences of her not taking them?

Does she get pocket money?

Does she have a mobile phone? I would get her to set herself an alarm.

No pocket money - it all goes on lessons

So last time did you follow through, she forgot her medicine she missed her lessons/competition?

I said if she missed her medicine; she would miss the next days class

It had virtually no effect so she had a massive telling off from her grandparents about it this time I'm useless she takes no notice

So her dancing doesn't mean that much to her then, or was she just not letting on that it was a big deal to miss it... ?

Oh no at the time we had weeping and wailing and promises; just then it happened again

I suppose once every 3 months isn't too bad that we know about except we aren't 'carefully' monitoring it so we don't actually know how often it is

It's probably us dealing with it badly; but we get so angry when she takes risks with her health

I've given up.

I just stand over him. In fact, I get the tablets and put them in a little dish on the kitchen table as I hand feed him his breakfast before lovingly packing his schoolbag for him and tying his shoelaces.

Not quite, but almost. He is 14, but was more independent at the age of 3 .

That's it

We have to trust them to be careful when out & on-line; let them get the train/bus; play with 'children' we aren't sure about & all we ask for are regular texts & take your blood medicine