My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

To BEG for your help with this

81 replies

monkeymamma · 12/05/2014 22:43

Ds (2) will not under any circumstances take any medicines, including Calpol. He currently has a chest infection and is clearly suffering. The gp had prescribed an inhaler (fat chance) and 6 days of antibiotics.
Surprise does not work as he is constantly on the watch for attempts to get it down him. Reason does not work, nor does reminding him that the doctor told him he must take it. Chocolate/bribery doesn't work - he either has no appetite anyway, or just wants the chocolate but no medicine and has a massive screaming hysterical fit if we won't give it to him. Until now we have got by by mixing it in with his favourite drinks but that doesn't work now, he's wised up to it and all it does is make him suspicious of all drinks (therefore risking dehydration). He won't hold the syringe or spoon. If he gets a whiff of me mixing it in with anything he just refuses all food.
We are in despair. Please tell me you have a magic trick that will work...

OP posts:
Report
coffeeinbed · 12/05/2014 22:45

Suppositories.

Report
Fairenuff · 12/05/2014 22:46

What are your usual sanctions when he doesn't do as he is told?

Report
Sirzy · 12/05/2014 22:46

For the inhaler if needs be pin him down and do it no matter what - it's not nice but needs must.

Better, "softer" approaches include letting him play eight eh spacer, decorating the spacer together, giving you some inhaler (pretend obviously)

Report
coffeeinbed · 12/05/2014 22:47

That's fir calpol though.

Not sure about the ABs.

Report
dancemom · 12/05/2014 22:47

Use the inhalor while he is asleep

Report
PetiteRaleuse · 12/05/2014 22:49

You can get paracetamol suppositories but probably not for the other drugs and not for the inhaler. At least try with the paracetamol (I know people are squeamish about that but it is far more effective and one less thing to force into the mouth. Can be done during nappy change and he won't notice)

Report
Littlefish · 12/05/2014 22:49

Dd used to refuse all medicine when she was in pain. We used suppositories occasionally when she was really unwell to get pain killers in to her. Once they had taken effect, she was much more willing to take antibiotics.

Report
gratefulforwhatihavegot · 12/05/2014 22:50

sit him down and pour the calpol and then hold it up and say firmly "this is mummy's and NOT yours" and then pretend to eat it. that makes most children grab whatever you have and try and cram it all in

Report
indigo18 · 12/05/2014 22:51

Does he always get his own way?
Not much help for now, I know, But maybe for the future.

Report
PetiteRaleuse · 12/05/2014 22:52

Agree with fish once pain is no longer a distraction the rest should be easier.

Report
PacificDogwood · 12/05/2014 22:52

2 people - one to pin him down and the other to squirt the medicine to the side and back of his mouth while he is howling.
Then big massive cuddles, lots of fuss what a big boy he has been and a chocolate button or 5.

IMO and IME it is kinder to swoop in fast and firm and then console than to get everybody distress by trying to reason with a 2 year old.

Huge sympathies - we've given DS2 foul-tasting medicine once a day for 3 years when he was little. He is now 10, appears quite normal, but I am still shaking at the memory.

And yes, Paracetamol suppositories are fab - I have no idea why they are not more popular, I really don't.

Report
IwishIwasmoreorganised · 12/05/2014 22:53

Paracetamol suppositories.

Wrap him in a towel, kneel over him and just get on with the inhaler - they're more effective with deep breaths anyway! (Technique was taught to me by nurses when ds2 had bronchiolitis and was admitted).

Antibiotics are more tricky. Syringe into the back of the cheek with his mouth as shut as you can manage.

Some things just have to be done. Not nice, but for his own good.

Hope he's better soon.

Report
strawberryangel · 12/05/2014 22:54

Exactly what pacific said...just pin him down and force it in. Needs must.

Report
monkeymamma · 12/05/2014 22:54

Thanks, guys.
I've told the gp he won't take meds but she didn't offer me any suppositories for him. To be honest if I can't get it in his mouth I don't know how we'd get them in his bum!
He does like the spacer and we let him play with it tonight so possibly he will let us give him a couple of puffs tomorrow.
It's not taking the antibiotics that worries me the most (and not being able to bring his temp down if it gets really high).
Usual sanction is basically going in his cot if he doesn't do as he's told. It usually works just as a threat (rarely need to follow through) and he is in general very well behaved. But he has a will of iron. In this case he just gets hysterical the minute we mention medicines (or even just think about it - he's very perceptive) and I can't leave him screaming in his cot when he's ill.

OP posts:
Report
PacificDogwood · 12/05/2014 22:55

Re inhaler: yy to letting him play with it and the spacer. Put stickers on together, get teddy and dad and any random visitor to pretend-use the inhaler. Keep going - DS2 started asking for his inhaler within having tried it a couple of times.

Asleep is also good (or actually better): there is some evidence that giving an inhaler to a screaming child does not work as well as when they are calm. No shit, Sherlock! But - I still figured that big indrawn breath at the end of a wail must get some of the medicine down.

Good grief, I love the older, more sensible child!
V best of luck, really Thanks

Report
MrsTerryPratchett · 12/05/2014 22:56

Chocolate/bribery doesn't work - he either has no appetite anyway, or just wants the chocolate but no medicine and has a massive screaming hysterical fit if we won't give it to him. Just finished DD on a week long course of antibiotics. I used to put the chocolate button on the table and she would only get it if she opened wide. Broken record, "you can have the button, open wide, you can have the button, open wide"

Report
NuzzleandScratch · 12/05/2014 22:56

Apparently squirting medicine into their cheek makes them less able to spit it out. Quite honestly I'd do the pin down and squirt approach. With the inhaler, it'll be no use giving him that by force, as they won't breathe the meds in sufficiently if they're crying (dd2 is under a paediatrician for occasional wheezing, and he said so often inhalers are given wrong, and there's absolutely no benefit in that instance). Really hope he feels better soon anyway, one way or another!

Report
ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 12/05/2014 22:57

Yep pin-down I'm afraid. Focus on how important it is for him to have them, then lots of comfort afterwards.

Report
Lweji · 12/05/2014 22:58

It broke my heart, but I had to force DS to do his inhaler.
The best is to seat him on your lap, lay him on his back holding his arms and his head back and just apply the inhaler.
I used to sing in a soothing voice while he was crying, or talking calmly to him.
It's best than to have to go to hospital.

The same goes for liquid medicine.

Report
Sirzy · 12/05/2014 22:58

Nuzzle - when they are screaming they take deep breaths so will get plenty as long as the mask is firmly on their face.

Report
Gumps · 12/05/2014 22:59

Been there and it's a nightmare. What absolute rubbish people saying it's a behavioural issue. I can convince my older 2 dcs to take meds but my dd2 will kick scream hit and normally she is an angel.
I agree with the two person pin and squirt method. Hideous but has to be done. However the revolting bright pink Peppa pig mini yogurts from asda also worked a treat. Obviously the sugar and colouring content is so high it can mask the taste of antibiotic! She had also never had them before so didn't have a taste reference point.
Good luck.

Report
NuzzleandScratch · 12/05/2014 22:59

Cross posts with most people above, sorry! Slow typing!

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Fairenuff · 12/05/2014 23:00

I think you could put him in his cot as long as you stand over him to monitor him. Once he learns that refusing medicine means going in the cot, he will be much more likely to take it.

Also you can tell him he can come out to have medicine first and then play. If he doesn't agree, he stays there.

I know you say he is stubborn but if you stick to it he will give in eventually. It's worth one or two big battles to get the message into him that medicine is not optional.

Report
Footle · 12/05/2014 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kinsorange · 12/05/2014 23:01

Go back and see a different GP in the morning if you dont have any luck.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.