Hello,

I'm currently part of a student team that is trying to design a device that will provide parents with a better way to deliver liquid medications to infants and toddlers. The assignment is part of the "New Product Development" class. So far, we've focused on children's medications that are delivered by mouth. These types of medications are usually delivered with droppers, measuring spoons, and oral syringes (which are often packaged with the medicine itself).

Prior to submitting a new design to our instructors, we'd love to gather some insights from parents who've actually used these devices to deliver medications to their babies and/or toddlers. We're especially interested in knowing about the typical difficulties that parents have with this activity. We suspect that problems can arise at any point... from getting the proper dose in the device, to actually giving the medicine to the infant, to preventing leaks/spills, clean-up aftewards, and so on.

None of my five team members have children, so any insights that you might be able to share with us would be much appreciated. Every comment/suggestion that we receive will help us to design a better device. We have to choose a final concept by Nov. 4, so we have approximately one month to gather information. Thank you very much for helping us with this learning experience!

Best regards,

Vince
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I use the cup that comes with the bottle and a straw. Not exactly great. The syringe works good but after you wash them a couple times the rubber stopper pulls off so you're back to square one. Good luck, it would be great to have something that works. Maybe something disposable. My toddlers vitamins also are liquid and contain iron which really stinks if you spill!

So if you use one of our ideas do we get a share of the profit?

I saw a pacifier once that had a fluid resovior, but I have no idea how well that would actually work.

My best method is just to use the ole straw with your finger over the top part, then let go. There are a lot of fancy devices out there but they don't fix the main problem, which is speed of delivery.

When our son was tiny we used the kinds of medications that have a dropper and never had too much problem with it. The most difficult part is as you suggested - measuring the correct dosage - but usually it is a simple matter of squeezing out excess from the dropper. The only other problem is that even with the dropper a young baby has a tendency to want to try to suck the liquid out rather than allow you to squeeze it out. As a result it seemed like there was always some left in dropper so you still weren't sure if your baby had gotten the correct dosage. We found that one way to prevent them from trying to suck the liquid out is to gently squeeze the cheeks up so the lips are pursed almost like a kiss and put the dropper deep into their mouth, but not so far back as to gag them and quickly squeeze it into their throat. This also keeps their saliva from getting back into the dropper so it is easy to just rinse off the outside and not feel like you've contaminated the container or remaining medication with infectious germs.

Other than the dispenser I think one of the biggest problems I had with the infant medicines is that the liquid is actually too thick a consistency. It is thicker than syrup and really clings to the inside of the dropper which again makes it hard to be sure you've given the correct dosage. I always opted to err on the side of not enough medicine than to give more.

Now that our son is older he is able to take liquid medications measured into a tiny cup and drink them. I like the measuring cups that come packaged with the medications - the ones that have the teaspoon/tablespoon measurements on the side made just for giving liquid meds. I don't try to use a spoon as the possibility of spilling it is much greater.
Also, I never even tried using the dispensing spoon that has the hollow handle with measuring increments on the side (often found in infant care kits, does not come with medications). Too hard to pour the right amount in, pour the liquid slowly into the baby's mouth so they can swallow it without getting it all over themselves and then having to wash it out and clean it for the next use. Too much trouble. When you have an unhappy, fussy baby it is much easier to be able to hold them and manipulate a small bottle with dropper at the same time. Otherwise you either have to put the baby down while you measure the medication or try to be an octopus and hold the baby, a spoon, an open bottle of liquid medicine etc.
HTH and your team is able to come up with some cool new device.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Can you create something to keep my babies from spitting it back out on me or down his own neck??

My kids will take it well enough in any form until they realize it is gross!