[Auraji]

Im really concerned about dss. He's had a cough for like two weeks now, so have I. It's really not that bad, but he has been asking, more like demanding for medicine all the time. He wakes up in the middle of the night and throws a tantrum asking for medicine.
Im 35 weeks pregnant and sleeping has become an issue so a lot of times I end up giving it to him, when me telling him he doesnt need it and trying to get him back to sleep just ends up in him crying more.
The reason why this really concerns me is because his mom is sort of a hypochondriac, she always think she has everything. It's always going to the hospital, to the doctor. She's addicted to opiates since she was 14, because she fell and got prescribed them and continued to believe she needed them for her back. She's now 22, has gone to a million different doctors, gotten every test possible, x-rays, MRIs and they've found absolutely nothing wrong with her.
Im worried that dss is kinda copying this from her. He's only 3 1/2 and he has often asked for medicine when he's not even sick, usually during the daytime. If it's during the day I find it easier to convince him that he doesnt need it, but when he wakes up in the middle of the night, it's just insane. Should I just trick him by giving him something else and create a placebo effect? I dont want him to depend on me giving him something though. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Any advice would be very welcome.

 

[tinuviel_k]

When my daughter has a cough I make her two herbal cough syrups. One has several "active herbs" that really help support cough issues, and one is a bit more of a gentle syrup: lots of honey, a little licorice and cinnamon... nothing really potent, but just enough to soothe and perhaps to give a little of that "placebo effect" when she thinks she needs something and I know she really doesn't. In a pinch I sometimes use honey diluted in water, maybe with a tiny squeeze of lemon. It actually works really well.

 

[4evermom]

You wouldn't be tricking him by giving him honey. It does help a cough. So does extra vitamin C. You'll be guiding him towards not depending on actual medicine to cure all ills. I give my ds honey "tea" which is just warm watered down honey. You could also just give him a spoonful of honey. My ds really is picky about flavors but I finally found a vit C he'll eat (comes in a roll like lifesavers and has a lot of sugar, lol). The vit C helps the cough not linger for weeks.

 

[Sierra]

I don't know if this is necessarily mimicking the mother. It could be, but it also may not be. I have two three year olds, and they are both obsessed with medicine. They rarely have it, but they do occassionally have it if they are sick to the point of real pain/discomfort (just like I do for me). A couple of weeks ago they were sick and they started back up again. Asking for medicine all the time, even when I could tell they weren't feeling that badly. Ugh. Annoying. But I am hoping it's just a phase.

 

[mamarootoo]

i wonder if part of it is how the medicine tastes. my daughter has to have iron drops (which taste like blood... horrible) and when i have to give her something flavored, i put the iron drops in it to make it taste bad! i'm sure there are meds where that wouldn't be ok, but it's an idea

i totally agree with the natural remedies. you could also try some homeopathic stuff (any time my DD gets hurt, she'll say "MAMA! I need ARNICA!!!" hehee) like children's cold calm, or even rescue remedy to help with the tantrum

 

[leighann79]

My three year old will also do this. If she goes through a time when she does need some medicine it takes quite a while afterward to get her to stop thinking she still needs it. Honey has helped quite a bit. We generally use that for a cough unless it's bad enough to need other stuff.

And, honey can help you sleep too, so bonus! LOL

 

[Marsupialmom]

I do think in part it is his age.

I also would look into why he is asking for meds...what is he trying to "fix".

 

[mysticmomma]

Could you get some rescue remedy or homeopathic chamomila or something similar?