Any tips for getting medicine into a very reluctant baby/toddler?

[chaosisawayoflife]

DD is 19mo. She has never taken medicine well but fortunately has never really needed it. However, she's really poorly at the moment and on anti-biotics as well as calpol/calprofen. I've tried spoons, mixing it in yoghurt and syringes. The first two she completely rejects and won't accept anything from me on a spoon (she was blw). With syringes we have mixed levels of success. I have to wrap her up tight in a towel, kneel over her to hold her body still and hold her head still with on hand and force the syringe right down the side of her mouth. I do it a little bit at a time, occasionally she swallows it but more often than not she still manages to spit it out. With calpol/calprofen I'm not too worried as I figure anything she does get is a bonus, but she really needs to get these anti-biotics into her. Medicine is a huge trauma for both of us and I really don't want it to be, its horrible and usually ends in both of us in tears. Please, can someone tell me of a magic solution that will be less of a painful ordeal for both of us and may mean she actually gets the medicine she needs.

[MrsHappy]

I do't think there is a magic solution, unfortunately. I had to use the towel, syringe, quick as you can, chocolate button crammed in afterwards approach with mine. One friend did suggest getting her favourite teddy (or possibly Pingu!) to give the drugs. I think that the really strong-tasting anti-biotics will not be easily hidden in food, but reckon that jam might be a good bet if you were trying to find a food-related fix.

Or just ask the docs to prescribe suppositories. Much easier all round.

[chaosisawayoflife]

Thanks Mrs Happy. I've tried with the suppositories and did manage to get paracetamol ones once from OOH doc when she had a temp of 40 which wouldn't come down. They were great and I really thought they would be the magic solution, but my docs now refuse to prescribe them as they are really expensive apparently. Not sure if they do them for anti-biotics, might have to ask if we don't have any more luck with getting the liquid into her.

[alypaly]

go back to the docs and explain the situation...ask doc for AMOXIL paediatric. It comes with a 1.25ml dropper and is a concentrated form of what you are giving nbut all you need to get down them is 1.25ml. It is a tropical fruity flavour and much more pleasant.

[alypaly]

is it amoxycillin that LO is on?

[elliepac]

i don't know if you have tried this but recently dd (23mo) was very poorly (in hosp for a short time) with a urine infection and therefore had to have calpol, ibuprofen and antibiotics and my cm told me a tip that if you squeeze their cheeks in the right place the mouth has to open and sneak it in that way...worked for me. it is horrible having to do that though .

[Batteryhuman]

My mother was a children's nurse for years and her method is while sitting (very calmly but firmly)to cradle the child in your left arm against your body with their right arm pinned underneath and their left arm controlled by your left arm. Medicine on a spoon (but not too full, half a tea spoon at a time) in your right hand. Tilt the baby/child back and their mouth will open a bit (honest it works!). Quickly insert spoon and tip in the medicine. Keep them leaning back until some is swallowed. Repeat as necessary. She is very anti syringes as squirting gloopy liquid down the back of someones throat is horrible (there is another thread tonight on that subject!!)

Try it! She is 80 and is still called upon by neighbours to give medicine to their kids!