Oral Medicines: How to Give Them to Your Child

Your health care provider has recommended an oral (taken by mouth) medicine to help your child. Oral medicines for children and teens can come as a liquid, a chewable tablet, or a pill.

Here's how to give your child oral medicines safely:

• Give the correct amount of medicine at the right time. Give the medicine for as many days as directed.

• Follow any special instructions, such as whether your child should take the medicine with or without food.

• Give the medicine with the device (such as a syringe, dropper, spoon, medicine dispenser, or medicine cup) that comes with it or that is recommended by your health care provider. Don't use a kitchen spoon to measure medicine.

• If you're using a syringe, take off the small cap on the end and throw it away before giving medicine to your child. The cap can be a choking hazard.

• Tell your health care provider if your child is taking any other medicines. Check with your health care provider or pharmacist before giving more than one type of medicine to your child.

• For a baby or toddler:

  • If your health care provider says it's OK, you can use a pacifier-shaped medicine dispenser. Be sure your child takes all the medicine.

  • Do not mix medicine in a baby bottle. If your baby doesn't finish the bottle, they won't get enough medicine.

Other things to remember:

• Before giving any medicine, always check the label to make sure you're giving the right medicine and that it isn't expired.

• Never give your child medicines prescribed for someone else.

• Never give a child a medicine that is meant for adults.

• Do not give cough or cold medicines to young children, especially to kids under 6 years old. These medicines don't help young children feel better and can be dangerous.

• You're not sure of the right dose of medicine or what device to use to give it.

• Your child spits out, vomits up, or won't take the medicine.

• You forget to give a dose.

• You give your child too much medicine. Depending on the medicine and how much your child took, your health care provider may have you call Poison Control for advice (800-222-1222).

• Your child gets new symptoms, such as a rash, vomiting, or diarrhea. These can be signs of an allergic reaction to a medicine.

What if my child has a hard time swallowing a pill? If your child has trouble swallowing a pill, ask your health care provider if you can crush it and mix it with a small amount of liquid or soft food, such as applesauce. (Some pills should not be crushed.) If your health care provider says it's OK, make sure your child swallows the entire portion to get the complete dose.

What can help prevent poisoning from medicines? Be sure to:

• Keep all medicines (even those you can buy without a prescription) in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children. 

• Get rid of medicines that you don't need anymore. You can ask your pharmacist or health care provider how to do this or go to:

  • fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know

  • fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines

What if my child takes too much medicine or a medicine that isn't meant for them? It depends on how your child is acting and what symptoms they have:

• If your child is alert and breathing normally, call Poison Control right away for advice (800-222-1222). Keep the number posted in your home (for example, on the refrigerator) and put it in your phone contacts.

• If your child is sleepy, confused, breathing more slowly than normal, or has trouble breathing, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away.