please help-need advice on how to put in eye drops for a very reluctant and scared 4 year old

[buttercupSE11]

Hi all

Desperate for help. Our 4 year old has dry eyes and has been prescribed eye drops. However it is impossible to treat the problem as she is scared of the drops going into her eyes. I had success on the first day-she was co-operative but didn't like the feeling of the drops in her eyes so since then it's been impossible. I have tried the incentives of sweet treats,or lack of sweet treats if she doesn't have the eye drops. Tonight was awful. I began with the gentle approach then got slightly agitated so my hubby took over. This resulted in him trying the gentle approach but then having to restrain her physically/shouting/smacked bottom. On top of this he bagged up most of her toys (some of which got smashed in the process) with the threat of the toys being thrown out if she doesn't have the eye drops. This was the last straw for me and I am digusted with him. He needs help in my opinion (am I over reacting?). Little one obviously traumatised by the whole episode. I even tried again after she realised her toys were on the verge of being thrown out but she was not having it at all. She has gone to bed crying and I am upset with the pair of them-more so my hubby. I seriously think he needs help and I need a way to get the little one to take the eye drops. Whole weekend ruined-HELP!

[Convex]

when i was a child, my dad used to put the drops on my eyes while i had my eyes closed, then all i had to do was open them and blink rapidly to disperse them. (sort of on the join of my eyelids if that makes sense)

much less traumatic than seeing the bottle come towards me.

you guys have had a crappy day, be kind to yourself, good luck for tomorrow.

[buttercupSE11]

Hi. Nice advice. The day was soured by this event. Thank you.

[scareyt]

That sounds like a horrible stressful day for all of you. I've had success with persuading my son to take horrible-tasting medicine by saying we'll have to go back to the doctor and tell him this isn't working if we can figure it out between us. He hates going to the doctor and could tell what I was saying was true so that worked.

The struggles and upset sound worse than the dry eyes. It sounds like you all need to have a chat about it in the morning when you're feeling calmer and say sorry to each other and have a family cuddle. That's what we do after a row.

[KatsuQueen]

Hi, we have used convex's method and it has seemed to work well. We asked our son to lie down on the floor, relaxed with his eyes closed, then put a few drops on the corner of his eyes and bridge of his nose until the drops "collect" and then just blink a few times and the drops should run into the eyes. You do waste some drops, but some do go into the eyes and less traumatic for everyone.

[buttercupSE11]

Thank you for your advice. Yes the struggles and upset certainly took over the main focus of the dry eyes. Much appreciated.

[buttercupSE11]

KatsuQueen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi, we have used convex's method and it has seemed

> to work well. We asked our son to lie down on the

> floor, relaxed with his eyes closed, then put a

> few drops on the corner of his eyes and bridge of

> his nose until the drops "collect" and then just

> blink a few times and the drops should run into

> the eyes. You do waste some drops, but some do go

> into the eyes and less traumatic for everyone.

Will certainly try this as she refuses to open her eyes to begin with. Thank you.

[Saffron]

If the drops are room temp, the cold feeling in the eye can be weird. When our cat had to have eye drops for a serious injury, I would put the bottle in my bra for 5 min prior to use. Body temp is better. Kitty hated the cold drops and would fight them all the way. Warm was at least tolerable.

Sounds like there may be some other issues going on with Hubbie. (He's not quitting smoking for a new yrs resolution by any chance? Because that is how Mr Saff acts every time he quits, resulting in swift banishment to the man creche aka the pub. Grrrrr.)

Try warming the eye drops in your pocket, then let your daughter drop them on her closed eyelids, or in the inner corner of her closed eye. You can also try letting her drop regular saline drops in your eye. You role play the child, and she plays the adult. Little Saff loves this kind of role play, and it works too!

I hope Hubbie replaces the smashed toys and apologises. We all lose our tempers sometimes. The important part is to make amends and aim not to repeat mistakes. xx

[buttercupSE11]

Saffron Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If the drops are room temp, the cold feeling in

> the eye can be weird. When our cat had to have eye

> drops for a serious injury, I would put the bottle

> in my bra for 5 min prior to use. Body temp is

> better. Kitty hated the cold drops and would fight

> them all the way. Warm was at least tolerable.

>

> Sounds like there may be some other issues going

> on with Hubbie. (He's not quitting smoking for a

> new yrs resolution by any chance? Because that is

> how Mr Saff acts every time he quits, resulting in

> swift banishment to the man creche aka the pub.

> Grrrrr.)

>

> Try warming the eye drops in your pocket, then let

> your daughter drop them on her closed eyelids, or

> in the inner corner of her closed eye. You can

> also try letting her drop regular saline drops in

> your eye. You role play the child, and she plays

> the adult. Little Saff loves this kind of role

> play, and it works too!

>

> I hope Hubbie replaces the smashed toys and

> apologises. We all lose our tempers sometimes. The

> important part is to make amends and aim not to

> repeat mistakes. xx

I demonstrated by putting the drops in my eyes during the week but she wasn't sold on the idea. I like the suggestion of her using the drops on me-will give it a go.

I have been worried about my other half's temper for a while- he's had a rough 6 months as he's been unable to work. It's a main factor but still concerns me and I have suggested he gets help as he can't see his own mistakes. Hope to have success tomorrow with the eye drops. Thank you so much xx

[yeknomyeknom]

Maybe get a cheap bottle for her to practice putting drops in a suitable plastic dollys eyes?

[midivydale]

Buttercup this sounds v stressful. Of course we all lose our temper from time to tome but smacking and smashing toys sounds extreme to me. You said his temper has worried you for a while, do you have any support or anyone you can talk to about this?

[Buffnutter]

Eye drops for little ones is really really tricky. Hopefully it has been better for you this week, but just in case not we have to do it fairly regularly with our three year old so my top tips are (excuse the repetition of points already suggested):

1 warm the drops a bit

2 lie them back cradled across your lap so they are having a bit of a cuddle at the same time

3 do the whole thing as speedily as you can, no big build up or chat about it in advance, all very matter of fact

4 drops on their closed eyelids and get them to blink (they will anyway)

5 as soon as they have blinked a bit sit them straight up and give them something nice to take the taste of the eye drops away - a little fruity something works wonders for us - like Goodies Dinopaws)

Still not a pleasant thing for anyone but at least it is over pretty quickly.

Good luck!