Medications, Administration of

Getting preschoolers and school-age children to take medicine can be very challenging for parents. Try this: pour the medicine into a small medicine cup, measuring out the exact amount prescribed by your doctor. Then, "top it off" with several teaspoons of either strawberry or chocolate syrup. You also can try this for medicine in tablet form. First, using two spoons, crush the pill into a fine powder. Then, put the powder into the medicine cup, and fill it with flavored syrup. Stir until the powder is dissolved, and let your child drink it up! Kathleen Traylor, M.D.
When you use a syringe, point it in to the cheek, behind where the molars will be. Do not point it directly to the back of the throat which may cause gagging. 
Another trick is to put something very sweet (chocolate syrup, pancake syrup) in a spoon. After squirting in the syringe of medicine, let your child lick the spoon.
Medicine should always be measured with a syringe or measuring spoon, not a household spoon. Rona L. Stein, M.D.