How to Get A Toddler to Take Medicine

You’re in a deep sleep and your toddler’s “I need you” cry jolts you awake. When you check on her, you find her burning up. The thermometer confirms she has a high fever. 

You know she needs a fever reducer. So you draw up a dose of ibuprofen only to be met with tight lips and a clenched jaw. As you bargain and bribe, she opens her mouth enough for you to squirt the medicine in, only to have her splutter it right back out. 

Been there? 

Us too.

Let’s face it. Kids sometimes need medication. 

So parents need to be prepared to potentially get a stubborn toddler (or preschooler) to take medicine. Whether it’s a fever-reducer, antibiotic, or other medication for an acute or chronic illness, taking medicine is a must.

Luckily, we have 9 tricks to get kids to take medicine. Keep reading to learn how these strategies can help you win the medicine battle!  

1. Help Your Child Understand

Kids (including babies and toddlers) understand a lot more than adults give them credit for. Leverage your little one’s smarts to get them to take their medicine. Use age-appropriate words and phrases to explain why they need to do it.

A script to get a 2-year-old to take medicine might sound like “Medicine is something you swallow that will help the boo-boo in your ear go away. The medicine will help you feel all better so we can go to the park and play!”

Avoid the temptation to tell your child medicine is candy. While this tactic might work once or twice, there are long-term implications:

Kids dislike being tricked and lied to — so do most adults! Lying (even when it makes medicine go down easier) breaks down trust and may cause your child to distrust you or other adults in the future.

Referring to medicine as candy is not safe.  Keep your kids safe by calling medicine what it is: medicine, not candy. It’s easy for children to mistake colorful and cool-looking medicine for candy. Avoid confusing your kid further by calling medicine candy. Some kids might think "medicine is candy" means they could find themself in a dangerous situation.

Honor your toddler with age-appropriate and honest communication about medicine. Understanding why (and what’s at stake) may help your little one buy into the whole “medicine taking thing” with much less fuss.

2. Consider what forms the medication comes in

Many common prescription and over-the-counter medicines are available as chewable tablets.

Pills may be an option as well, depending on your child's age.

Think your toddler or preschooler can’t swallow pills? Well, if they’ve ever accidentally swallowed a small non-food object like a coin or marble, then you know they can physically swallow a pill with some practice.

Talk with your kid’s healthcare provider about different forms of medication and the best option for your little one.

Pills or chewable tablets might be your ticket to fuss-free medicine time — especially for strong-willed liquid spitters.

Tip: If liquid medicine is the best choice for your child, opt for a dye-free formula to help avoid stains on clothes, carpets, or other fabrics. At least you’ll have hassle free clean up if medicine time isn’t so smooth.

3. Ask your pharmacist about flavoring your toddler’s medication

Over-the-counter medicines come in a variety of flavors. Try different flavors to find one your kid likes the best.

Ask your pharmacist about flavor options to mask the unpleasant taste of a prescription liquid medicine. But hold off on promising your little one a certain flavor until you know the options.

4. Break it up into smaller doses

Children with a sensitive gag reflex may have a hard time taking a big gulp of liquid medicine. If that’s the case for your child, try giving them smaller sips over a few minutes rather than forcing it down in a single swallow. It’s best to take all the medicine within a few minutes to ensure a full therapeutic dose.  

If this approach prolongs the agony of medicine time, this might not be the best strategy for you.

5. Mix your toddler’s medication into food or drinks

Your child’s healthcare provider may recommend mixing medicine into food or drinks as a last resort. Ask your pharmacist if it’s safe to mix your toddler’s medicine with food and if it should be mixed into cold or room-temperature food or drink.

If you get the green light, keep these things in mind:

• Choose a soft food like applesauce or pudding.
• Only mix medicine into a small amount of food or drink, like one spoonful of applesauce or one swallow of juice, to make sure medicine doesn’t get left behind.
• Don’t mix medicine into food or drink that’s essential for their growth and development, like milk or formula. If the medicine changes the taste, your toddler may avoid the next round of milk or formula even when it’s medicine-free.  

6. Involve your toddler in the process

Toddlers love to help. If they're involved, they might be more likely to take their medicine. Have your little one help by shaking the bottle or drawing the dose into the syringe.

Choices empower toddlers and help them have a sense of control in a scary, uncomfortable situation.

Try the following controlled choices:

• What food should we take the medicine with: pudding or applesauce?
• What do you want to take your medicine from: dose cup or syringe?
• When do you want to take your medicine: before or after storytime?

7.  Make it Fun

The sillier the better for most toddlers and preschoolers! Amp up the silliness to make medicine time fun. Think funny faces, silly dances, and exaggerated praise.

If your toddler refuses medicine, add their favorite toy or stuffy to the experience. Have your child “give” their stuffy medicine from an empty syringe or medicine cup.

Or try role reversal. Your little one pretends to be the parent and you’re the kid who needs medicine STAT. Act out a scenario of refusing medicine and the potential consequences. Then model good listening and taking medicine with no tears. By the end, you’ll both be giggling, and your child may be distracted enough to take their medicine without a fight.

8. Confuse (or avoid) your toddler’s taste buds

Taste buds tell your toddler’s brain that a medicine is yucky. Stay one step ahead by confusing or avoiding the taste buds altogether.

Oral syringes are a great tool to avoid the taste buds. You can aim the syringe toward the back of your kid’s mouth toward the inner cheek. The medicine will bypass the taste buds as your little one gulps it down. To handle a flailing toddler, ask a partner to hold your little one with their arms wrapped snugly in a blanket. A squirt or two, and the job’s done.

Try these tricks to change taste sensations:

• Numb the taste buds. A cold treat, such as a popsicle, numbs the taste buds so they don’t sense flavor as well. So offer a few licks of a popsicle before medicine time. Save the rest as a reward.

• Coat the tongue. Foods that leave a coating on the tongue, such as chocolate syrup or nut butter, mask the unpleasant taste of medicine. Opt for sugar-free varieties if you prefer and offer it right before you give the medicine.

• Chase the medicine. Have your child’s favorite drink or snack ready for them at medicine time. They can have a drink or bite as soon as they take their medicine. Ice cold water works surprisingly well.

9. Use rewards

Bribery is another strategy to get your kids to take medicine. Skip the guilt of sugary rewards and think of something more fun!

Set up a sticker chart. This works especially well for a long-term medicine. Add a sticker every time your child takes their medicine without a fuss. For every 5 stickers, they get a treat.

Good reward options for toddlers and preschoolers are:

• An extra story at bedtime
• An extra five minutes in the bath
• Watch their favorite show
• A trip to the park, library, or dollar store
•  Read a new book
•  A family bike ride
•  A treasure from the treasure box (pre-filled with small toys or crafts)

No matter what trick you use, keep things positive and calm. Easier said than done, we know. But children detect and mirror your stress and anxiety at medicine time.

If your toddler refuses to take medicine despite your best efforts, step back and try again after everyone cools off. Getting upset with your toddler will lead to more refusal and frustration and create negative medicine memories.

So put on your game face (hopefully a silly one!) and embrace a calm, positive vibe. Your toddler will sense your confidence and may resist less.

And as always, if you have any reservations or questions at all, always consult your child's pediatrician on what’s best for your child.

At Hiya, we’re here to keep your child feeling their best. Give your child the health support they deserve with a daily multivitamin or even a kids greens drink. Our pediatrician-approved products give your little one the nutrients they need to thrive.