***UPDATED***HELP! Need suggestions for getting eyedrops into 4-YO's eyes

[momto2boys]

UPDATE:

First, thank you for the replies and suggestions to my post. I spoke with the pedi's office to see if they would prescribe the ointment instead of the drops but they felt it would be worse than the eyedrops. The nurse suggested I have DS close his eyes, place the drops in the corner by his nose, have him open his eyes then turn his head to the side so the drops roll into his eyes. The nurse thought this would be less traumatic than having the drops 'splash' into his eyes. If he is still uncooperative, she said I could stop the drops altogether because he is on Zithromax for his sinus infection. The Zithromax will take care of the pink eye but it will take longer than the drops. So he'll be unable to go to preschool this week because he'll remain contagious longer. Now I just hope my 2-YO doesn't catch it!

Thanks again for the replies and suggestions.

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I am at my wits end! DS #1 was showing signs of pink eye yesterday morning so his pedi called in a prescription for antibiotic eyedrops. He absolutely refuses to let me or DH put them in his eyes. He thrashes, squirms, screams and cries because we have to hold him down to administer them. We have tried bribing him with a new Playstation game, Lego Star Wars ship, etc., to no avail. I have now instructed DH to to disconnect his Playstation because of his lack of cooperation and he acts as if he could care less. Perhaps that will change when DH is finished with his conference call and begins taking it apart.

Does anyone have suggestions for getting him to cooperate? I/We have to administer them 3 times a day through Thursday and DH is leaving tomorrow afternoon. I can't imagine having to do this by myself at 5 1/2 months pregnant.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated,

Kathy

DS 1 - 12/01
DS 2 - 11/03
DS 3 - edd 7/06

[kristenk]

Have you tried to put the drops in while his eyes are closed? If you put them in the corner of his eye, they'll go in when he opens his eyes. That's what worked when I had to put drops in my DD's eyes when she was 14 months. I asked for hints at the pharmacy and they couldn't come up with any - other than one person holding her and holding her eye open and the other putting drops in. :( Having her close her eyes worked decently. Also, I don't think I was *extremely* careful with the drops. If she needed 2 in each eye, it was not uncommon for several more drops than 4 to come out of the bottle b/c several ended up on her face.

[zoestargrove]

My pedi told us the ointment was easier to administer in an uncooperative or smaller child than the drops. After you wash you hands, you put a small amount on your finger and you hold your child down...even with their eyes shut tight, you can pull down the skin around the eye enough to apply the ointment.
It never gets easier...they always hated it, but it worked.

that being said...I ended up getting pink eye with a cold a few months later and my doctor prescribed the ointment instead of the drops...and I HATED the ointment. It was greasy...made me look worse because of the shine around my eyes...and it blurs your vision...which makes you feel even more sick. so, I suppose what I'm saying is, if you can get the drops in there...stick with them, because I would think that they wouldn't blur your vision after you blink a few times.

hth,
Kelly