What am I supposed to do??????? He's sick!

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 3:51 pm

He's sick and he won't take medicine. He has a 101.9 and will NOT take tylenol. I even held him down and he spit it all up. There's no bargaining, bribing or anything else to do!?!!? It doesn't even taste bad! When I was a kid, our medicine tasted horrible but we did it! What do I do? I just put him into bed without medicine because I'm about to lose my mind with him. He's 3 1/2 by the way.

granolamom

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 4:20 pm

a 102 fever will not hurt him. fevers actually help the body fight infection. so maybe a cool washcloth for his forehead, or a tepid bath, lots of fluids if he'll take them.
I wouldnt fight the tylenol. if he was refusing a medication that actually was going to help him get better I'd find ways to push it, but I'd be ok leaving the fever if he's fighting the tylenol.

lk1234

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 5:02 pm

I have had this exact problem Here's the solution, which I believe I got from Imamother. I know this sounds crazy, but I force the medicine dropper into the cheek or deep into the mouth (not too deep because you don't want the gag reflex to activate) and then blow on the child's face so that it kind of forces him to swallow.

It sounds weird but it works for me every time.

sequoia

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 5:09 pm

Just let him sleep and the body will fight the illness. Tylenol is not necessary.

seeker

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 6:18 pm

I wouldn't push tylenol. If a kid is refusing prescription antibiotics I bring in the torture team but tylenol is not necessary. If the child seems very uncomfortable and I have reason to worry, I'd go for advil/motrin. If the child doesn't do liquid medicine well I crush a Jr. tablet (it's the same dose size as children's liquid) and mix with a spoon of applesauce. The kids beg for it that way.

acccdac

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 6:20 pm

tylenol is not necessary.

real meds may be an issue, so the next time you get a prescription discuss it with the doctor before going home.

my daughter needed an inhaler and it was a big problem since she needed the treatment but wouldnt let us administer

seeker

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 6:32 pm

Oh we have inhaler issues too... keep trying different tricks... positive talk, making it into a game, bribes, threats, the works...sigh. Hoping the season finally finishes changing soon and hoping that helps the situation, we use the inhaler only when sniffles are going around because that's the biggest trigger here.

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 6:53 pm

OP here -
Thanks all for making me feel a bit better about the tylenol thing.

The thing is, he also has to take daily medicine, which he does ok with, but whenever he's a little bit under the weather it's a HUGE fight. So, while he tested negative for strep today, if the test comes back positive, we ARE going to have to deal with antibiotics. He also has bad allergies which makes it very difficult to treat if he refuses the benedryl, etc.

Thanks for letting me vent.

pobody's nerfect

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 10:15 pm

Most medications can be mixed into chocolate milk or apple juice. My doc said it was fine for my son.

amother

Floralwhite

Thu, Apr 09 2015, 6:11 am

My daughter had the flu and 105 fever ans refused medicine! Also that age. It would take all my energy to argue and beg her to take Motrin or tylenol and her temp lasted days. I bribed and promised the world and it was still a fight. Her temp was so high I felt I had to get it in her but if it was 101 I wouldn't have been that nervous. But with antibiotics she's not bad so don't worry that it will always happen.

tweety1

Thu, Apr 09 2015, 6:28 am

Op, how's your son doing? Hope he's feeling better

amother

Cobalt

Thu, Apr 09 2015, 8:08 am

Thanks all, he's doing much better. I didn't check his temp because he also hates that, but he's acting fine and doesn't feel as warm. Hopefully I don't get a call that the strep test was positive because it's been going around...