They expounded the reazels

For sneezles

And wheezles,

The manner of measles

When new

They said, "If he freezles In draughts and in breezles, Then phtheezles May even ensue."

-Now We Are Six A. A. Milne

(If you have a child who asks for his medicine and takes his nose drops without complaining, you can skip this chapter and worry about his becoming a hypochondriac.)

We think that Firmness plus a Casual Approach is the best theory, here. But there are still useful tricks for carrying out Doctor's Orders that make them less grim for you and the child. If you tried all of these suggestions, you would certainly lose face, but a few of them may help avoid a battle which you will win only because you are physically stronger.

Medicine

If you have to give nose drops, baby aspirin, an antibiotic, and take temperatures every four hours, try to schedule them so that they will all come at the same time. Then you don't have to poke and prod him every hour. If this is impossible, and you are forgetful, keep a chart so you remember when something is due.

Prepare everything first before you present it, so that you are not dashing about for a glass of water, holding a spoonful of medicine in your hand.

A tray, with the medicine, water and perhaps a flower or special treat, is a pleasant, ceremonious way to present the medicine.

If the dose is a teaspoon, try giving him a half teaspoon, then the other half, and you will avoid spilling and be certain all of it goes down.

A funnel or nose dropper or straw is another way of avoiding spills. You might give him a choice-shall we put it in a funnel or a spoon ?

Some children enjoy taking the medicine themselves. This naturally takes longer, but gives them pride. You have to watch, of course, to see that they don't pour it down the sink.

Again-the kitchen clock. When the buzzer rings, it's Medicine Time.

If you can combine the medicine with food, don't use a food he is only lukewarm about If he doesn't finish it, you are not sure how much of the medicine he took. Make a point of having ice cream or pudding, or whatever his favorite food is, in the house.

After applying the sting-y medicine to a cut you can draw a baby or a moon on his knee with the medicine for a treat. Or you can let him put on his own Band-Aid. Or give him an extra Band-Aid for himself or his Teddy.

You can make up a Medicine Song, or count, "One, Two, Three, Bottoms Up!" Or shut your eyes, and ask him to tell you when it's all gone, so you can open them.

If it is liquid medicine, and you can use vegetable coloring, you can ask him what color he wants his medicine this time-green, pink, blue, etc.

You can dramatize the situation, and pretend you are the nurse or doctor, and he is your patient

One pediatric nurse we talked to carries the glass of medicine to a patient, sets it down casually, and talks to the patient. She says the child usually reaches for it, and drains it. If he does not, she offers it herself, still casually, which usually works.

An old-fashioned but good method: Tell him to hold his nose, and he will open his mouth.

Nose Drops

If you have a young child who cannot be reasoned with, you can wrap him up in a sheet, like a strait jacket This may sound like torture, but it is actually better than sitting on his stomach, holding his arms, and poking him with the dropper when he wiggles.

An older child enjoys a game or silly rhyme while he holds his head down and waits for the drops to sink in.

Soaking Hands And Feet

If you have to soak a hurt or swollen limb for a certain time, and the child grows impatient, try putting marbles in the bottom of the washbowl or dish, which he can finger. Also, start out by making the water lukewarm, and then getting it gradually hotter.

Casts

Put a cast on a doll.

Tell neighborhood children that the child will appear in odd apparatus. Ask them in for cast-drawing party.

Exercises

Do them yourself with the child, to music. Glasses

Become familiar with the idea of glasses, first

Get everyone "play" glasses in family and say, "You have the only real ones."

Make a child's glasses case out of felt and sequins. Have a special place to put glasses at night

Let child have some choice in glasses' frames. Shots

Tell them to say, "OuchI" first-or to hold their nose.

An older child can learn to stand on one leg, and relax the opposite hip where the shot goes. It hurts less.

At The Doctor's Office

If you think you may have to wait a long time, plan to use the time to advantage. There are so few times during the day when a mother is free just to read or talk to her children. Take along a good book, one that you have wanted to read to them, or take paper and pencil and draw pictures. If you know they are going to have a shot, you can draw a picture of a boy or girl having a shot This may take some of the fear out of it for them.

Dentists

Let your child watch you sometime at the dentist's, when you are just getting your teeth cleaned. Then he will become familiar with the weird apparatus, and the strange noises. When he goes for a filling, don't tell him it won't hurt

Hospitals

If possible, drive your child to the hospital some day, before he goes, and let him see what it looks like. Tell him everything that will happen to him in as much detail as possible. There are books, such as Linda Goes to the Hospital, which are also helpful. Again, tell him when it will hurt, but also point out the interesting part of it to him. When you visit him in the hospital and the time comes to leave, you might say, "In ten minutes the nurses are going to kick us out, but we will be back to take you home tomorrow morning." If this is the case.

In all sicknesses, stress the "getting well" part of it, rather than the "sick" part Don't say, "If you don't take your medicine, you won't get well." But explain to him how the medicine is helping him to get well, so he can soon go outside and play again.