This post is sponsored by FLAVORx. All opinions are my own.
When your child is sick it’s stressful enough. If they refuse medicine, it can feel really frustrating and discouraging. I remember when my youngest was a toddler with a bad ear infection and needed an antibiotic, but he refused to take it. I felt my frustration rising, but then I remembered tips I picked up working as a pharmacy technician—tricks pharmacists often share to help parents with stubborn kids.
When a child won’t take liquid medicine, it can lead to tears, tantrums, and a longer illness. Whether it’s for a short sickness or a daily medicine, there are things you can try to make it easier for both of you. If you’re wondering “how do I get my child to take medicine?” these tips can help.
8 Ways to Help Your Child Take Medicine
Have a Positive Attitude
Kids take cues from your mood. Even if you’re frustrated, try to stay calm. The more upset you get, the more likely they are to fight it.
Improve the Flavor with FLAVORx
Some medicines really do taste awful, and that’s often why kids refuse them. FLAVORx offers a simple fix: at the pharmacy, kids can pick a flavor to mix into their medicine. When I worked in a pharmacy, we frequently recommended FLAVORx because it made medicine time much easier. I always ask for it when I pick up my kids’ prescriptions at CVS. It’s worth the extra step — they get to choose the flavor and it cuts down on battling.
Flavors are sugar-free, gluten-free, dye-free, and casein-free, with more than 16 options that can be used with hundreds of drugs. It’s a safe, easy way to make yucky medicine taste better and take away the stress of giving it.
Talk It Through
Ask your child what bothers them about taking the medicine and try to solve that specific issue. Explain why they need it and make it clear it’s not a punishment. Be calm, firm, and understanding. Work as a team to find a solution.
Give Them Choices
Let kids feel in control by offering small choices: which FLAVORx flavor, which tool to use (spoon, dosing cup, syringe), or where they want to take it (on your lap, in bed, on the couch). A bit of control can ease the fight.
Fool the Tongue
Try simple tricks to lessen the taste. Give a popsicle or let them suck on ice before medicine to slightly numb the tongue. After medicine, offer something sweet, like a spoonful of honey or chocolate syrup, to wash the taste away. Many taste buds sit at the back of the mouth, so using a syringe to squirt medicine into the side of the cheek can reduce how much they taste.
Role Play
For little ones, role play can help. Let them give “medicine” to dolls or stuffed animals to make the idea less scary and more fun.
Make It a Routine
For medicines taken over days or regularly, make taking it part of a routine and place it before something they love (playing outside, a favorite show, or screen time). That way they have something positive to look forward to.
Reward Them
Sometimes rewards work well. Use a star chart or promise a small toy if they take their medicine all week—tangible rewards can be powerful motivators.
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