Funny how army crawling on your belly through the backyard woods will do that to a person.
A trip to the doctor resulted in prednisone and some steroid cream, though tragically not the kind of steroids they were hoping and dreaming of.
Chase is a few weeks ahead of McKay in the healing process, and finally seems to be clearing up. McKay, tragically, is not there yet. The worst of it is on his face and neck. It's hideous and all I can do to keep his scratchy fingers away from it. I keep saying words to him like permanent disfigurement and scars, but sadly, to no avail. The boy likes himself the scratching.
But that is not the problem I'm
The problem, my friends, is the prednisone. And its disgusting, nasty, two-seconds-on-the-tongue-feel-like-twenty-to-my-boy-with-the-ridiculously-sensitive-gag-reflex. The first time McKay took the pills, he threw them back up before he'd even swallowed.
And let me tell you what a treat that was.
Especially the part where he walked the LONG way around the kitchen island, barfing into his hands as he went, to finally find his way into the bathroom and finish up there. (Jessica, we need that training video, stat!)
Seriously.
But I digress. My question for you wise internets is this: Is there a way to get those suckers down his gullet without him gagging and puking every time? Any tricks you've tried that helped your sensitive gag reflex kids?
Because yelling at him to not throw up just isn't working.
Please help.
I am well past the stage as a parent where I can nicely clean up after him in a case like this.
Also? In related news, my mother of the year banquet is tonight. I'm really excited.
[[**Edited to add: He normally has NO trouble taking pills. Takes his allergy medicine every night without any problems. I think the prednisone has a terrible taste that just simply makes him gag the minute it hits his tongue. Any helps on that end, oh wise internet?
Just wanted to clarify that my 13-year-old is very capable of taking pills.
As you were.]]
23 comments:
Ugh. So sorry. Maddy had a nasty run-in with poison ivy. NO. FUN.
Does the pill have to dissolve on his tongue? if not, put it in a bit of food (bread? doughnut? banana? 3 musketeer bar?) large enough for the pill but small enough to swallow.
If he has to have it sit there...I dunno. Maybe put it in at the same time as a tictac? Yikes. Good luck, my friend.
I have no idea whatsoever. Only my deepest sympathy. And complete dislike of puking kids.
xoxo,
Amy
He does not have to have it dissolve on the tongue. It's just the minute it hits his tongue, he gags. Grrr...
Does he like jam or mamalade? Because my mother used to crack the pills into pieces and put them in a spoon with some jam. There is this absolutely delicious latin american thing called "Dulce de Leche" that's completely awesome, sweet, and you don't even notice the medicine, if there is any argentinian store near the area where you live, it could help. If not, maybe with some pudding?
Hope it's useful
*
I was the same way. My uncle, a doctor, gave my mom a scolding b/c I could not swallow pills at age 9. I don't really have any solutions. I think I was in high school before I could swallow pills. Maybe try practicing with tictacs? Can you get the Rx in liquid form?
Have him practice with M&Ms. Once he gets a few down, toss a pill in there.
Or put in the middle of a Jello-O blob that he can just suck and swallow.
Or figure out a way to coat the pill with sugar, a spoonful of sugar.
Or find someone that McKay really admires and looks up to. Have him watch them take a handful of pills without anything to drink. He will think, "If he (or she) can do it, so can I." McKay will then never have any problems taking one or ten pills at once for the rest of his life.
ugg, so sorry. I remember you dropping off McKay in nursery those first weeks and as he looked at you with "that look" you started saying, (increasing in speed and volume) "McKay--stop it McKay. No McKay. McKay, don't do it. No No McKay no!"--too late. Very funny to look back on but I realize not so funny at the time. Good luck sister!
I fed them to my two boys with a bite of applesauce for 2 weeks before they even knew they were taking them :)
I cannot help with the prednisone friend, but, for the itchy rash, I would get my hands on some essential oils. Lavendar, or Peppermint. Takes the itch RIGHT OUT, and your boys will smell good too! :)
I actually take a tiny sip of water and hold it in my mouth. Then pop the pill in and quickly follow with another gulp of water so it is a fluid swallowing motion. I do this cuz I can't stand the taste of pills and they always stick to my tongue if I don't do it this way.
Is it wrong that I feel more sorry for you having to clean up after him than his ailment? ;-)
Try to crush it up and put it on some chocolate pudding.
Ignore your other blog readers suggestions, because this one is the best. I give Cindy credit for this one.
Roll a starburst super thin with a rolling pin, and wrap the pill in a thin layer of candy, and it will buy him more time before he gags, and hopefully he can wash it down.
See, I'm not always mocking your blog.
Dan is a wealth of great information. Please tell him that he should make his suggestion his next, "How-To" post.
I also liked the chocolate pudding idea.
Basically, I think the yummy food disguise is the way to go...
Sorry your boys are miserable. People at my house are always belly crawling, too. It's just a question of time before I have to deal with this.
Stick it in a spoon full of frosting. It starts to soften as soon as it's in your mouth crating just enough slide to send it down without having the need to chew.
And hello??? It's pure sugar! :)
Tristan has the solution that works for me. I can swallow like 5 pills at a time this way, and I never taste a one.
I think Dan's idea is pure brilliance! I wish I'd have had it when my daughter was younger and every single pill she had to take ended up in a puddle of puke for me to clean up.
Good luck and here's to no more vomit!
Poor kiddo :( try putting it into some food? Pudding maybe?
Oh, and similar to Dan's--you can also roll out gum drops, and they have a further coating of sugar already on them :)
If the starburst or taffy thing doesn't work, you could crush the pill and put it in a spoonful of chocolate ice cream syrup. I am a true believer in the idea that a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down.
Good luck. Having a boy that yaks is no fun. I hope both boys feel better soon!
I once had to give my one year old some of the nastiest steriod around. In the ER she mixed it with hershey syrup. So my suggestion is to try coating it in hershey syrup.
My mom always crushed my pills and put them in sugar and water on a spoon. That's how I took pills until high school.
When I was little and had to swallow terrible tasting pills, My mom had me swallow them down with pickle juice to keep me from tasting the pill. Of course, I really liked pickles, so that helped. Good luck. I too have a boy who has an extremely extreeemely strong gag reflex as well, so let us know what worked so I can stock that info away for a day when I may be in the same boat.
if you still need a pill solution here it is: I encapsulate prednisone for my cat. The vet said it tastes truly terrible, even to a cat. You can buy empty capsules at some pharmacies (you have to ask for them), and probably most vets offices. Just pop the pill in there - or cut it into smaller pieces to fit with scissors if you need to - and put it back together. Problem solved - no taste!!
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