Tips and Tricks to Help Your Kids Take Medicine

“A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” Mary Poppins sang in the classic 1964 film. In the scene, the magical nanny is teaching her employer’s children that difficult tasks — like taking medicine — can be made easier when accompanied by something more pleasant.

While Mary Poppins is a fictional character, her advice rings true. Kids will be more receptive to taking medicine if you can make it a more positive experience for them. You don’t need to feed them a spoonful of sugar — there are many healthier ways to help your kids take their medications. Let’s explore some of those strategies.

Why Do Kids Hate Taking Medicine?

It helps to understand the reasons why kids often dislike taking medicine. They include:

• Unpleasant taste that some liquid medications can have
• Difficulty swallowing tablets and capsules
• Recalling past negative experiences after taking medicine, such as gagging or vomiting
• Fear of medicine as they associate it with pain or discomfort
• Not understanding what medicine is and why they should take it
• Lack of control about when and how to take medicine

Parents should first talk with their child to get a better idea about why they’re balking at taking medicine. Ask open-ended questions, such as “What makes you not want to take your medicine?” and “How do you feel when you take your medicine?” Listen without judgement and be patient, giving your child time to express their feelings. Then take steps to address those issues.

Don’t Try to Hide It

You may be tempted to hide a pill or other form of medicine in your kid’s food, hoping they won’t notice it. That’s a bad idea, as your child will probably notice, and it can make them feel like you’re trying to trick them. They may also develop an aversion to certain foods, if they suspect medicine could be mixed into it.

Instead, be honest with your kid. If mixing medicine with applesauce can make it easier for your child to swallow a pill, let them know about it first and explain why you are doing it. Also, check with your child’s healthcare provider or pharmacist first to be sure that it’s OK to mix the medicine with food.

Other Things to Try

Here are some other ways to make it easier for your kids to take their medicine:

• Take smaller sips. For liquid medicine, it may be easier for your child to take it in smaller portions. For example, instead of trying to take 20 milliliters of medicine all at once, break it up into 5 ml portions. In between portions, let them take sips of a drink they like. During breaks you can let them do an activity, like coloring or playing with a toy, as a reward for taking the medicine.
• Establish a schedule. Set certain times in the daily schedule for taking medicine and be consistent day to day. For example, after a meal or before they take their bath every night. Your child will know what to expect and won’t be surprised by your request to take medicine.
• Give your child a choice. Allowing your child to decide how they’ll take their medicine helps give them a sense of control. For example, let them choose if they want to take their pill with water or juice. Or they can decide what special cup to take it with.
• Use a straw. Taking water or juice through a straw can make it easier for children to swallow a pill, tablet, or capsule, as sucking on a straw creates a stronger force to wash the medicine down.
• Practice swallowing. Use different size candies to help your child practice how to swallow their medicine. Start off with having your child practice swallowing a small candy like Nerds. Then gradually increase the size of the candy until it approximates the dimensions of the pill, tablet, or capsule. Practice for 5 to 10 minutes a day over the course of a week or two. If your child becomes upset or frustrated while practicing, take a break and do a fun activity, and resume when your child is no longer upset.
• Rehearse through play. Your child can pretend to give medicine to a doll or stuffed animal to help them rehearse and learn what’s involved. As they are playing, be sure to address any concerns they express and answer any questions they have about taking medicine.
• Make it taste better. Let your child suck on a Popsicle or other frozen treat right before taking their medicine, to put a more pleasant flavor on their tongue. Another tactic is to let them have a spoonful of pudding, yogurt, or other flavorful food they like, either immediately before or after taking their medicine.
• Turn it into a game. After each successful dose, give your child a sticker that they can place on a chart to track their progress. Set a target, such as reaching 10 doses, and offer them a reward when they achieve that goal.    
• Stay positive. If you get frustrated or angry trying to get your child to take medicine, that negative emotion will influence your child’s feelings and may make the situation even worse. Remember to stay calm and do your best to make it a positive experience.

Make Some Magic

One additional way to help your kids take their medicine is to use a little “magic” to make a difficult task fun, like Mary Poppins did. Get creative and put a quirky twist on it, such as pretending your child is a magician who can make the medicine disappear. By using some imagination to help the medicine go down, you and your kids will say it’s “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”