Child wont take meds

[Alextoms03]

13 year old wont take meds 2 gps have given him and he is blocked up alot. What is the next step please

[Laundrymaid]

Hello Alextoms03'

I have been giving a lot of thought to your query and I don't think there is an easy answer.

There are many reasons why your son may be refusing his meds and until you have an idea as to why, it's very difficult to find an answer.

Is it the taste that he objects to, or does he resent being given a routine, perhaps he thinks the medicine won't work or makes things worse for him, perhaps he's just being a contrary teen who does the opposite of what's asked of him? For all of these things I would probably enlist the help of a Doctor who can talk him through the how the meds work and why he needs them and what happens when he doesn't take them. Getting a Doctor or nurse involved makes this profession and they don't have to engage with the emotional stufflike a parent does.

The other reason that he may be refusing his meds is more about being an older child that understands what is happening and the embarrassment of how their body may betray them but feels totally powerless and out of control of their body so they go into complete denial. Think along the lines "if I don't acknowledge this, don't talk about it, don't do anything about it, then it's not happening..." This is harder to deal with. We had some really hard talks with our daughter and more than once there was shouting and door slamming. Always our bottom line with her was that this was happening to her, IT IS NOT WHO SHE IS and together we would all work to change things (reminding of meds, cleaning soiled clothing, following strict toilet regimes and reminding her that that medication is 'non negotiable'!)

It is really hard being the parent of a child with bowel issue, and becomes harder the older the child is.

I really hope you and your boy sort this out,

The Laundrymaid xx