Depakote or Valporic Acid Liquid

Debbie - posted on 02/16/2013

Im a grandmother who helps with my 6 year old granddaughter that has special needs,she was on depakote and had to take it 3 times a day,but because she has a problem swolling it is very hard for us to get her to eat certain things,espically ice cream,pudding,yogurt so its very difficult,we tried putting the sprinkles in those foods and ice cream, potatoes,oatmeal,smashed bananna and so on, but she would just spit it back out,So her doctor put her on valporic that has to be taken (1 teaspoon ) 3 times a day,because she was not getting enough of the sprinkles in her system and her seizures were coming more often to the point where she had to be put in the hospital over and over again,my granddaughter has special needs and she is 6 years old but she is like a 10 or 11 month old that dont understand when you say you have to take your meds.She will take any medication that is given to her,but she wii not take the valporic without us forcing it down her throat,I hate doing it even tho I know if she is not getting enough in her body she will have more seizures,If anyone can please give me suggestion for a special need child that has a swolling disorder.Thank You

Deana - posted on 05/28/2010

My daughter is on both and this is her second time around. The Valproic Acid is yucky stuff, we've found the medicine syringe to squirt it in (past the tongue) and it helps then chasing it with ice cold water or milk. The Depakote Sprinkles--her favorite chocolate or butterscotch pudding, ice cream, oatmeal, cream of wheat, she didn't like it in yogurt or mashed fruit. Good luck, keep trying... ;)

Renee - posted on 05/28/2010

depakote causes polycystic ovarian yndrome in youg girls if they take it epre and early puberty.i wouldn't give it to a girl regardless of a
ge.PCOS is awaful .There are so many other drugs to choose from now.Feel free to PM me if you have questions

Christina - posted on 05/18/2010

This may be very obvious but I didn't see it mentioned. Instead of using a dosing spoon we use the medicine syringes. Its not perfect but it allows you to squirt it in past the tongue and they get less of the taste. sometimes when we mix meds in we just end up giving the poor kid more quanity of yucky tasting stuff! Good luck!

Sandy - posted on 05/18/2010

When my son was on Depakote Sprinkles .. I used ice cream, jello, pudding, mashed potatoes, mashed bananas, yogurt, and anything else. Even cheeseburgers!
God Bless,
Sandy Lora

Jennifer - posted on 05/17/2010

I know EVERY child is different however; we had a lot of problems with Depakote. I am sure your docotr has already adviced you of the blood levels that need to be done on a regular basis. Our son is 2.5 and went to toxic levels and high and very low doses of Depakote. His ammonia levels were also very high 90 and 97. It was making him very sick.

Amanda - posted on 05/16/2010

Does Depakote have to be sprinked or can they just swallow pill??

Tina - posted on 05/15/2010

When my son was younger, we sprinkled Depakote on applesauce and fed it to him

Kimberly - posted on 05/14/2010

Depakote almost killed our son so maybe your daughter knows best. He got so sick they thought he might have cancer. Maybe this is the wrong med for your daughter. It was for our son I felt like a horriable Mom for making him take something that was making him so sick. Dilantin is what he is on now.

Marguerite - posted on 05/06/2010

I feel for you ... that Valproic is a killer tp administer !! Because of it's effectiveness, I struggled with it for years, attaining the most success when mixing it with yogurt or icecream. Like your daughter, our son soon caught on. Good luck :)

Kaydee - posted on 05/06/2010

Great suggestions!! Thank You... Please Keep them coming..Every suggestion helps alot! I have done some investigating with our pharmacy and the med normally comes in a Blue Raspberry I thought it tasted Cherry flavor which is hard to cover up. :( I filled the prescription on Tuesday and they were able to flavor it for me! YEAH! We are currently trying Banana and Apple still trying to cover it up though.

Christina - posted on 05/06/2010

you can get it in cherry flavour. but it might have to be ordered in as only certain pharmacies carry it. that is the kind my daughter takes.

Karen - posted on 05/06/2010

My son takes valporic acid and has for quite some time. He is used to the taste but sometimes he does may horrible faces! Keep trying. I know it can be frustrating. Maybe reward her when she does take it. Try offering her somethings she really likes as a treat.

Penny - posted on 05/05/2010

Hi my son takes Depakote sprinkles i use pudding or ice cream sometimes yogurt works also. I take the pudding and poke a hole in the center ( on a spoon) and sprinkle the med. in it then cover it he takes it well.

Virginia - posted on 05/03/2010

One more thing. Stay calm and positive. My son was super emotional at 4 when he started his meds.

Virginia - posted on 05/03/2010

Sprinkles on apple sauce, peanut butter or pudding. Just a spoon full so meds aren't wasted. Yogurt too. Warning, they will associate meds to those foods so don't be suprised if she refuses to eat on of these items for a while. The liquid is difficult. My son gets rewarded with jelly bellies for taking his. Reward changes as his tastes change. He refuses to drink juice or water with it. Only milk seems to get the taste out for him. Garrett was on it 3 times a day since age 4. He finished his last dose on April 16th this year. He is almost ten now and seizure free.

Janice - posted on 05/02/2010

Have you tasted the VPA liquid? It is horrible! They claim it is cherry flavouored. My son has been on it for most of his life, he is 19 yrs old now. Luckily he is used to the taste and we don't have problems. I would think the sprinkles would be easier as you can hide them in pudding or ice cream or one of your daughter's favourite foods. If you need to give her ice cream for breakfast just to get the med in then go for it. A special treat with her med may help. When I had trouble getting my son to take his meds I would get really firm and tell him that he NEEDS to take his medicine and that the medicine helped the seizures go away. Medicine was NOT an option. For years I hid the pills in his food and that made it much easier. I know it is very difficult to "reason" with a 3 year old. Best of luck to you, it's so hard when you have a child that has to take meds and so much harder when they don't cooperate.