How do you get them to take foul tasting medicine? (19m old)

[Laura032004]

DS has been prescribed some foul tasting antibiotics to take 4 times a day. I don't think he's actually getting any inside him though. Luckily the sore willy they were prescribed for seems to be getting better anyway.

Has anybody got any tips for getting him to take them? I've got a syringe, and sit on him with his arms pinned under me, but he just spits most of it out.

He's dairy intolerant, so can't mix into a yoghurt or anything like that, and he won't drink rice milk with the ab's in as it tastes so foul.

Tempted not to finish the course as this is getting to be such a battle that he runs screaming when he sees the syringe, but know that I have to persevere.

Any comments welcome.

[Catbert]

A bit of bribery? A sweet being dangled in front of his face to take the taste away as soon as he's taken it?

[cue "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!!!"]

[babaworshipper]

SMall amounts from the syringe down the side of the mouth v v quickly blowing sharply striaght in his face should make him swallow. Works on my little one anyway!

[Laura032004]

I think he's a bit young for this. Have tried, but I don't think the offer is sinking in. He just gets more stressed about wanting the treat straight away.

I'm sure ab's always tasted nice when I was little. Have they stopped adding sugar to them now that made them 'go down' nicely?

It must be really horrid, as he takes medised really well, and I can't bear the taste of that!

[hunkermunker]

Which antib is it? Can you ask the pharmacist if there's a nicer-tasting option?

[Parsleypants]

in orange juice?

[singyswife]

Does he have a temp? Can you give him it with the medised? Half and half in the syringe. Might work.

[Laura032004]

babaworshipper - will have a try at that next time!

mummypumpkin / Parsleypants - tried mixing it with allsorts, to no avail. It flavours everything.

singyswife - he won't even take medised from a spoon now due to the association he's formed, which is so wierd because he used to like medised (would ask for more!)

hunkermunker - it was floxacillin (I think). Didn't think of asking pharmacist, might do that next time.

I rang NHS direct in the end for their advice, as it was becoming an absolute nightmare. He would scream and run away when he saw the syringe. I really don't think he took any down, and would retch to get the rest up. They said as the willy was looking better anyway, just to leave the rest of the course. I know that's not a good idea with ab's, but this was absolutely terrible. I think if DH had been around to help I might have been able to do it, but there's only so much you can do with two hands!

Thanks for all the suggestions! Next time I'll def be asking for the strawberry flavour stuff I had as a child!

[NannyL]

Floxacillin, yes OMG that tastes SOOOOO gross.

im surpired that the drugs people dont make it in nicwer falvours. (my old charge was V ill and spent 3 weeks in hosp... when he came out he hads t take it every day for 6 weeks luckily he was 11 and old enough to know he HAD to take it!)

i remember when i was a little girl i had to have triludan medicine for my hayfever (since been discontinued!) andway it tasted SOOOO gross, i mean really foul, would make me gag!

Luckily it was my uncle who had developed this medicine, and i called him.... he ahd one taste and agreed, and within weeks they were manufacturing it in the yummy banana falvour and strawberry as well!

It CAN be done, just have to speak to the 'right' people!

[NannyL]

BTW NOT suggesting you call manufacturers and ask them to make nicer falvours!

[stitch]

yes, that does taste foul. doctor gave my dd, 2.5 amoxiclav instead. its got penicillin in it. which she really liked. also its a different colour, so she knew i wasnt giving her the auful pink one.

[TinyGang]

Just seen this thread. My dd has been taking this (well all mine have had a course of it lately actually, thanks to the joys of impetigo)

The girls were initially delighted by the lurid pink colour but soon went off it! I agree it tastes vile. I got a bit on my finger and licked it off to see what all the fuss was about...YYYUUUKK! Bleurrgh!

I bribe them shamelessly with a few sweeties. Mine all quite like liquorice and a stick is strong enough to take the taste away. I think some people hate the taste of that too though.

Definately well worth a sweetie bribe for this one. Mine all run about shouting YUK!! at the tops of their voices to sort of psych themselves up to swallow it. Hope my neighbour doesn't think it's my cooking

[eldestgirl]

Try mixing it with neat Ribena and then put it in the syringe. Tip from my doctor when prescribed some truly awful tasting meds for croup which used to make mine gag and throw up.
Or chocolate soy milk as a drink?

[Sugarmag]

You can get NON-DAIRY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM! Swedish Glace is really good and lots of places carry it. If he doesn't like chocolate it comes in lots of flavours but the chocolate seems to be the best at hiding the medicine taste.

If all else fails you can hold their nose when you put the medicine in - it will force him to swallow. It's a horrible trick but it does work. I'd opt for the ice cream if he'll go for it.