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Giving medicine to children,
especially to babies,
can be tricky.
They may resist it,
refuse it or spit it up
once you get it into them.
Here are some tips to make things easier.
Babies are more likely
to take their medicine when they're hungry,
so give it to them before you feed them.
They're also less likely to spit it up that way.
We recommend, unless you have to,
you don't mix medicine with food or drinks.
Mixing it makes it harder
to know if the full dose has been taken.
If that's the only way
your child will take the medicine,
check with your pharmacist first,
because certain foods,
like yoghurt or applesauce,
can stop the medication from working and others,
like honey or syrup,
work only if your child is not on a restricted diet.
If you do use food or drink,
use a very small amount, like this,
so that the child will finish it all.
Now, let's go over how to prepare the medicine.
First, measure the dose with the spoon
or syringe you got from the pharmacy.
Now give the medicine to your child in small amounts
and watch for them to swallow before you give them more.
If you're using a syringe,
try putting the medicine inside their cheek pouch.
That will prevent them from gagging.
If you're still having trouble,
try giving your baby a popsicle
or a freezie before giving them medicine.
The sweet taste, and slight numbing sensation
will "help the medicine go down".
When giving medicine to any child,
it's important that you double check the amount
and the dose with the instructions
that are written on the bottle.
If you use a log or a medicine diary,
that can help to prevent either giving too many doses,
or missing some doses.
If your child still can't swallow the medicine
or keep it down,
or if they're showing any side effects,
get in touch with your doctor or pharmacist.
Some oral medicines can be made to be given in other ways.
Talk with your pharmacist about this to see if it's possible.
Remember to give medicine to your child
according to the instructions.
Ask your pharmacist about foods
or other medicines that may stop it from working properly.
If you have any concerns about the amount of medicine,
or if your child is refusing to take it,
speak with your pharmacist.