METHOD OF ADMINISTERING MEDICINES TO INFANTS

THIS TIP IS BEST USED TO TEACH PARENTS THE METHOD OF ADMINISTERING MEDICINES TO INFANTS


its a frequent complaint from parents that their 6 month old doesnt take any new diet/ medicines...

Its time to complement feeding.. they understand.. but he vomits out whatever given!

he vomits medicine too!

what to do?

Its surprising that even some of hospital staff doesnt know how to feed a baby!

And thats what make them vomit even the medicines.

Its rather, they spit it out!

Yeah! they have already learnt to accumulate unknown things in oral cavity; so once the spoon is out they spit it out!

Try these tricks:

whenever and whatever u r giving in child's mouth, should be given iwith child in semiupright or sitting posture; that will avoid unnecessary stimulation of pharyngeal muscles.

if the child doesnt allow spoon or dropper easily.. restraint has to be applied, especially when u r giving this new product for the first time.

I had seen people administering medicines, by closing the nose; they think child will open mouth then; a practice to be discouraged for its harmful consequences.

The volume of initial introduction should be small.

whenever we are introducing a new diet, let him have a only taste of it for first 2 days, then give by drops or quarter spoon and increase gradually over a period of 3-5 days so that he will be taking adequate amount by that time.

THE PRINCIPLE IS INTRODUCTION WILL BE SMALL AND FREQUENT, AND DONT GIVE THE NEXT DROP/DOSE UNLESS FIRST IS SWALLOWED COMPLETELY!

I can understand that parents are in hurry to finish 100 ml in 5 minutes, but u may get results either spat out or vomitted bcos of gastric distentsion.
but if u wnat to avoid this: give it over 15-20 min atleast. least the chances of vomitting the longer time u space the feed!


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Same while giving medicines; medicines are less easily accepted by most kids, cos they always tend to get forced in!
At times you do need to apply restraint.. but insist sitting posture; if cant avoid lying down posture;
apply pressure on cheeks as we do while giving OPV, donot give next drops unless u see first drop going down the throat!

details:

let a person hold him lying in bed, with his hands by the side of his head, horizontally up! This is a type of restraint!

now pinch the cheeks of the baby with your left hand (if u r administering from right side of child) so that mouth cavity opens up! in elderly children, you will require more force; so that your fingers are apparently between teeth covered by cheek, dont worry, it wont harm your kid!

Yeah! now u can use a dropper or spoon or whatevr!

Yes he will bubble while medicine is passing down the cheeks and mouth, but if u use small quantity the bubbles wont come out of mouth! He has now no other way but to swallow. Smaller the quanity, lesser the bubbles and less effective is the phooooo! U can let it trickle down along tongue too!

take a minute or two to administer whole medicine, and its done!