Eye drops got toddlers-help!!

misswig

Hi

Anyone with any advice on how to put put in eye drops for a toddler. I hav a 19 month old with nasty conjunctivitis so really does need them and it is like trying to wrestle an octopus! I don't want to distress him as he Is feeling poorly enough already. The first couple of times were fine but his morning was a different matter:eek:

Thanks

JemmaM91

I know it's not the same.

But when DS needed ear drops I let him hold something he wasn't allowed. ( I think it might have been tv remote).

He was so shocked at finally having what he's been trying to get for weeks he stayed still for the minute I needed.

Alikay

It's a horrible job for all concerned isn't it? When our children needed antibiotic drops at a similar age, we found the only way was to lie them on the floor, tilt the head up and put the drops in. Yes, it was forcing them and distressing but there was no was of reasoning with them at that age and the drops sting!

Immediately the drops were in there were lots of cuddles and a couple of chocolate buttons waiting for them once the wailing stopped (which it tended to once the sweets were on offer!).

I also found cleaning their eyes gently with warm boiled water the minute the woke up helped as mine got very panicky if they woke with their eyelids gummed up.

fluffnutter

I think there's probably little you can do to make it an OK experience, let alone a pleasant one. If you can, get someone to help you, pin him down, quick squirt, big cuddle afterwards. On the plus side, he won't remember when he's older so it won't traumatise him.

peachyprice

Head back on the arm of the sofa and do it as quickly as possible, failing that, do it when he's asleep, you can usually lift the eyelid and put the drops in before they realise what's happened.

misswig

Thanks everyone! He was so distressed this morning it was awful and I'm not sure much of the drops got in as I was dodging feet, flailing arms whilst trying to open his eyes to get them in. I don't remember having to do this with my oldest when he was this age

browneyedbazzi

I used to work with young children in residential homes and that included administering medications. We were taught to do eye drops by just gently tilting the head back and gently pulling down the lower eye lid to make a little pouch then ask them to look up and put the drops in the pouch rather than directly onto the eye ball. It's way less scary than the kids seeing the drops coming directly at the eye and they often don't actually feel the drop at all. The first couple of goes are difficult but once it has been done a couple of times and they realise there's no discomfort etc then it becomes easier. It can help to have a second person there to something for them to look up at while you do the drops.
I also tried to choose a moment when the child was fairly calm/chilled and not to make a big deal about the drops. Try to stay as chilled as possible yourself because if you get stressed/anxious about doing it then the little one will pick up on that and it'll make them feel like it's something to be anxious about.

shortdog

The only way I could get drops in my daughters eyes at that age looked barbaric, but wasn't.
Lie him on the floor, and kneel over him so your knees are either side of his ears, with your legs over his shoulders and arms. Hold his head still with your knees by squeezing firmly enough that he can't move his head, but not hard enough to hurt (obviously!). You've then got two free hands, one to hold his eye open and one to pop in the drops.
His arms are held down by your legs, he can still reach to pinch but it'll be over before he realises it. The whole thing (from grabbing child to releasing a wild animal) takes less than 20 seconds - give him a chocolate button or something as a treat afterwards, and relax until next time.
It's worked on every child I've tried it on, and it's much quicker, easier and less stressful for everyone than trying to do it while there are legs and arms flailing everywhere.

Tigsteroonie

Fortunately Andrew is sufficiently fascinated by the drop-bottle being held above his eyes that he'll look up at it but if I try to hold his eyelid open, all hell breaks loose ...

valk_scot

Bribery. Mini bag of chocolate buttons or something like that.

Just never give in to the screams. If you back off once, they'll scream twice as loud the next time you try. Stay calm, stay firm, make sure they know this IS going to happen so the best way to get it over fast is to cooperate. Even young kids will get the idea eventually.

Raksha

Drop it into the inside corner of a closed eye, then when they open the eye it distributes it.