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Sweet tricks

Expert shares tips to get children used to taking their medications

SARAH MOORE SPECIAL TO THE STAR NEW FACILITIES.

As a certified child life specialist, Jane Darch helps children cope with the stress of being in the hospital. As part of her job involves guiding kids in taking different meds, Darch has a few tips and tricks on how to help the medicine go down. Her advice may not have you reaching for a spoonful of sugar, but it’s not far off.

Kids can get stressed out taking meds, how can parents help make it easier?

Try to keep in mind your child is watching and listening to how you react and will often mimic that reaction. So, if you’re calm, encouraging and confident, your child will likely pick up on that. If you’re distressed or upset, that’s going to be reflected in how your child responds.

Also, kids need to know why they’re taking medication, what it’s for and how it will help their body. Be prepared for questions about how many doses they have to take and for how long.

Sometimes kids will resist. When that happens, it might be helpful to reframe taking medication as a new skill. You can explain to your child that although he’s never done this before, it’s something he can learn, and his body has the ability to do.

Part of the education, especially for older kids, could be around how big and stretchy the esophagus is. I teach kids the texture of the esophagus is almost like the inside of their cheek.

You can tell your child there are muscles in the neck and throat that help with swallowing.

My son has a thing about swallowing pills — he’s afraid he’s going to choke.

If your child isn’t used to swallowing pills, there are a few tricks you can use to help him get used to it. I like to practise with small pieces of candy, as some are conveniently pill shaped. I like to start small with Nerds, Tictacs or miniature M&M’s, and, if necessary, work up to the size of a Mike & Ike.

Often, kids’ first reaction is, “I can’t swallow that.” You can tell your child, yes, he can swallow it because he swallows saliva and food. We swallow more than 600 times a day. Starting with a small candy — something your child likes — helps him learn he can actually pop something in his mouth and swallow it whole.

Another tip? It’s hard to swallow when your mouth is dry, so give your child a drink first. Then, have him put the candy on the back of his tongue, as close to the back as possible, and then take a drink and swallow it whole. Just know that when kids are first learning, the candy will often stick to the roof of their mouth or float around in their mouth, and that’s OK.

What can I do to help disguise a nasty taste?

Try giving your child ice to chew, a bit of Popsicle or really cold water — anything to numb the taste buds. You can give your child a bite of Popsicle before he swallows the medicine, then give him another bite of Popsicle right after. Some meds you can take with food, but make sure to check with your physician or pharmacist first.

Where should I store my child’s medication?

From a safety perspective, you obviously want to keep medications out of reach and inaccessible to kids.

That said, I often suggest to parents

they store medicine in the kitchen — the heart of the home. Keeping medication in the kitchen, whether in the fridge or a cupboard, helps normalize the process and establish a routine. Make it a family affair: Mom and Dad can take their vitamins while your child takes his meds.

HEALTHY KIDS POSES HEALTH QUESTIONS TO EXPERTS AT SICK KIDS. ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER WITH SPECIFIC CONCERNS. TORSTAR IS IN A FUNDRAISING AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH SICKKIDS FOUNDATION TO HELP RAISE $1.5 BILLION FOR

BUSINESS

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2022-05-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

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