Administering eyedrops to kids

Found this in the March 2006 issue of Parenting magazine. Would have been handy when Luke had pinkeye last year.

"To give my kids eyedrops without the hassle, I have them sit up and I very gently pinch each lower eyelid to form a small pouch to drop the liquid in. It even works with my one-year-old!" -- Deborah Skolnik, Parenting staffer

Technorati Tags: Health, Parenting, Eyedrops

Comments

[Busy Mom]

If they're old enough to understand, it also helps to have keep both eyes open while you're doing it, not just the affected eye.

[Serrina]

With my infant, I was able to drop the medicine in the eye while he was nursing and his eyes were still open. He didn't know what was coming and any discomfort or fear was easily soothed by the breastfeeding. It was much easier on him and me!

[Christy]

I have also heard that if they lie down and close their eyes, if you put a drop in the corner of the eye, when they open it, the medicine rolls in. That is, if you can get them to lie down and close their eyes.

[Terry]

Our 2 year old needed drops for some eye testing... he sleeps the sleep of the undead, so we gave it to him then. He would cry but never woke up, else we would never have been able to administer them to him at this age

[Jen]

The trick Christy posted is totally right. I used to use it all the time when I worked as a nurse and had to give millions of eye drops to squirmy old people on my shift.

Another trick if your kid is really resistant is to get them to lay down on the floor. You then kneel behind them and brace their head between your knees. This gives you both hands free to administer the drops and they can't move anywhere.

[Laura]

If you sit on the floor with your legs extended, you can lay the kid face up with his head tucked between your legs and his arms pinned under your legs. It pretty much holds them still and keeps their hands out of the way so you can give meds or put in eye drops. My kids don't like it because it's restraining (so I only use it if I have to), but it works great if you've tried everything else.

[Lucy]

I put eye drops in when my son is on his changing mat. If you position yourself above his head he looks up to see where you are making it easier to drop the drops in.