Is 11 too young to remember medicine?
This morning my ss11 "forgot" to take his ADHD medicine. I'm wondering if it is too much responsibility for him to not be watched taking it everyday. I feel he should easily remember to take it since he is the only one that has a special breakfast in the morning with it. The other kids eat at school, he has a small breakfast with his pill in the morning and then also the normal breakfast at school. I feel since he is the only one that eats in the morning (and he always remembers to eat) he should remember to take his pill. Am I expecting too much at 11? Yes I can easily get up early to watch him do this but I think any type of responsibility I give them is a good thing. Bm does not have them do anything for themselves. Now I'm stuck with a ss17 that still can't wake himself up for school. I'm trying to prevent this with ss11 and ss8.
Yes and no. 11 is old enough
Yes and no.
11 is old enough to have responsibility, absolutely! But, at the same time, I can't even count on both hands the number of birth control pills I have missed over the years.
Where his medicine is kept could play a role too. Would it be a huge issue for your DH to buy him a weekly medicine case and leave it on the table where he eats breakfast in the morning? If it's something he has to consciously remember and make an effort to do, it could be laziness along with forgetfulness.
That's a good point. It's
That's a good point. It's kept in a drawer in the kitchen. Easy to get too but... :? Maybe being within sight will help...I could easily set it out on the counter after I cleanup from dinner. Thanks for the idea!
I think there are a lot of
I think setting it out would really help, but, don't forget to have a chat with your SS and let him know that is the new plan and that is where it will be and if it isn't there because you accidently forgot that he still needs to take it and here's where it is. Laying expectations before changes (even simple ones) makes a huge difference.
Agree with askYOURdad. If I
Agree with askYOURdad. If I had to take a pill everyday to stay ALIVE, I would be dead. It's so easy to forget.
Put it out for him the night before (or better yet, make him do it).
If I had to take a pill
If I had to take a pill everyday to stay ALIVE, I would be dead. It's so easy to forget.
Hahaha, you and me both. Even if I remembered it after I laid down in bed I would spend a good five minutes weighing the pros and cons of death before getting back up to take it lol.
True that! ^^ I blew my knee
True that!
I blew my knee out (on the job) and have difficulty navigating stairs so I keep two birth control packets (one upstairs bathroom, one down) and many times I've inadvertently taken taking 2 pills/one day. Bahaha
Me too... although, I'm five
Me too... although, I'm five months pregnant now (go figure?) so I don't have to remember these days but I'll be back to my old ways in 4 months or so lol.
The child takes ADHD meds ,
The child takes ADHD meds , well, because he has ADHD. The parent in the home should be placing his morning pill next to his glass of water or whatever he drinks with his small breakfast. A gentle reminder and/or a glance at the place the parent put the pill before Jr gets up should be sufficient to assure Jr either did take pill or now remembers to do so (if parent has seen it still there and issued the small 'don't forget to take your pill).
The child's day at school may every well depend on whether or not Jr 'remembered'
....pretty small thing to have to do in a simple brief reminder to get the pill down. I'm actually a bit surprised this is even an issue in your household up for discussion or debate her on whether an adult should 'remind'...it's not about being too young to remember or old enough to take on his own responsibility for taking the medication. Geez, I'm 54 years old and I occasionally forget a pill or sit and wonder a few minutes if I had taken one or not.
I think kids do need
I think kids do need additional reminders with daily medicines. Everyone is right, pills are so easy to overlook.
I never forget my BC, but
I never forget my BC, but that is because it has always been so very, very important to me to not have accidental kids! (skids excluded) But other things like vitamins, etc... I'll forget constantly.
I take a thyroid pill every
I take a thyroid pill every morning, the bottle is right next to my toothbrush, and I STILL forget to take it some days. So yeah, 11 is old enough to remember - but no age is too old to forget sometimes either! If it was just once (or every once in a while), I'd say cut the kid some slack and don't worry about it. If it's a daily thing though, then yes, you (or DH) have to do reminders.
Is 11 too young to remember
Is 11 too young to remember medicine?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes.
Wait. Lets spell it out.
Wait. Lets spell it out. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder right?
He has problems paying attention. He is easily distracted. I'm hoping the advise above helps with the problem but no I do not think that a 11yo ADHD kid is capable enough to be trusted to take his own medicine from scratch. If in fact the kid is ADHD then don't think too lowly of him but work out a plan that works.
Yes, I think it's too young.
Yes, I think it's too young. I'm 42 and still forget my meds!
If he's got ADHD, I'm sure that makes it even harder. I would try tying in taking the med every day with something he does anyway. Pouring your cereal? Grab your pill. Something like that, until it becomes a habit. That may help.
Yes, Especially since it is
Yes, Especially since it is for ADHD. He might have even walked into the kitchen 3-4 times with the intent on taking it but then... Squirrel! LOL I would never count on anyone but parents to remember it. You should take a small number of pill into school just in case he forgets it, it can be the back up.
psst, if you don't mind a tad
psst, if you don't mind a tad bit if Hershey's chocolate syrup (talking about a 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of the lite syrup), open the pill over the tsp of syrup and watch how quickly it goes down. You can also try a 1/2 tsp of applesauce or yogurt.
My DD took Adderall from kindergarten through 5th grade (she went pill free in 6th grade--yay) and she wouldn't (couldn't ??) swallow that tablet to save her soul. She herself requested I try something that would taste good but make it down quickly and easily. I grabbed the Hershey's syrup. In a pinch you can also use a tablespoon with just a 1/4 to 1/2 in bottom of spoon of milk or orange juice (I would use the lid off the fluid to steady the spoon for preparation then DD would pick up and down it went. Any of the above suggestions takes a mere few seconds and makes the medicine taking a cinch.
My 11DD can check her own
My 11DD can check her own temperature, take her own advil when she has a headache, bandage up a wound, and even took care of an injured toenail 100% on her own until it fell off. But could she remember a pill? No. As demonstrated by our older Steptalkers above, it is not a maturity thing. And I bet you are asking because YOU don't want to have to worry about remembering to tell him to take it
to young not the issue it's a
to young not the issue it's a controlled scheduled 2 drug. i still give my 14 yr old his adhd meds every morning for his ADHD no way will i just hand him over a bottle of pills that is a controlled 2 substance. dangerous. he could take an entire bottle or sell them ect ect ect .
furthermore when my 18 yr old got a pain killer script from when wisdom teeth were pulled out i did not give him the entire bottle of pain killers either. i gave him like 4 or 5 at a time that way he had some control as to when to take but he did not need the whole bottle...
too many kids abuse legal drugs these days.