DETROIT – When my 2 year-old son Will had strep throat, the doctor prescribed a horrible-tasting medicine that he had to take three times a day for ten days. It was a very long ten days. Will would run in the other direction as soon as he saw us pick up the bottle of pink goo.
As parents know, you can't reason with a toddler. But that didn't stop us from trying. We tried explaining the medicine would make him feel better. We tried warning him if he didn't take it, he would have to go to the hospital. We tried bribing him with candy. When all else failed, we tried holding him down and squirting it in his mouth. He promptly threw up all over. Game, set, match to him.
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With this experience in mind, I was fascinated to read suggestions on how to mask the taste of liquid medications from Dr. Deb Lonzer, a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children's. While Mary Poppins relied on a "spoonful of sugar" to help the medicine go down, Lonzer suggests pairing it with a popsicle.
"The popsicle does two things: it puts a good flavor in the mouth, but it also kind of numbs up your tongue because the colder your tongue is the less you can taste," said Lonzer.
If you don't have a popsicle handy, Lonzer says you can also put a spoon in the freezer for a few minutes, place it on your child's tongue, and then give them the medicine. Some ice creams and sorbets are good, but gelatin is not as flavorful, or cold, so it may not work as well.
Another option requires you to ask the pharmacy for a medication syringe. After you measure out the appropriate dose in the provided measuring device, Lonzer says you can use the syringe to squirt liquid medication into peanut butter cups. The peanut butter and the chocolate will disguise the taste without affecting the medication. If your child is allergic to peanuts or doesn't like peanut butter cups, almost any food will work, as long as it meets a couple of requirements.
"It has to be something thick. So, for some kids orange juice will work, especially if it's pulpy orange juice, but anything that has a strong flavor that the child likes," said Lonzer.
If your child still resists, talk to your pediatrician and pharmacist about other options. Certain medications require fewer doses or have a less objectionable taste, and some pharmacists are able to add flavorings to make the medicine go down a little easier.
As for me, I'll definitely be trying the popsicle trick next time someone in my household is sick.