Turn ?Yucky' into ?Yummy' When it Comes to Medicines

(NewsUSA) - For many parents, getting their young children to take medicine for a simple cold can be a problem that can quickly lead to tantrums. For parents doling out lifesaving medicine to help their children fight cancer, that same struggle takes on an even greater importance and level of stress.

On the Web site for the National Children's Cancer Society (N.C.C.S.), parents coping with childhood cancer regularly come together through message boards to gain hope, ask for help and vent about the cancer-related issues going on in their lives. A frequent challenge is figuring out how to effectively administer lifesaving cancer medications to children. One parent shared her frustrations about trying to coax her 4-year-old daughter to take her medicine.

"She hates the medication we have to give her daily," the woman wrote on the Web site, www.NationalChildrensCancerSociety.org. "She will not swallow the pills. Crushing them tastes awful and to give liquid is almost impossible. Is there a trick?"

For parents looking to help their children overcome cancer -; as well as parents simply trying to ease their child's stuffy nose -; the following tips will prevent a battle wrought with tears:

* Offer choices. While taking the medicine might not be a negotiable task, asking things such as "Would you like apple or grape juice with your medicine?" will give your child a sense of control that will make them more willing to comply.

* Make the medication taste better. As long as you get the "OK" from your child's doctor, find creative ways to disguise the taste of the medicine. For medication in liquid or powder form, try dipping a spoon into chocolate syrup, placing the medication on the spoon and then offering it to your child.

* Create a routine. Choose a specific time and spot in your house where your child receives their medication. With every dose, have them put a checkmark or sticker on a medicine chart set up near the designated area. This is an especially important tip for children fighting long-term illnesses such as cancer.

* Give them an "out." If your child starts becoming combative during a medication session, allow them to take a short break -; approximately five minutes -; to regroup both physically and mentally before trying again.

"Article By: NewsUSA"