How do you get a toddler to take foul tasting antibiotics?!

[ellabella2]

My ds is 2.5yrs and dr just diagnosed scarlet fever and prescribed penicillin oral solution antibiotic. He is usually really good at taking medicine but this stuff makes me gag it is so strong!! He is meant to take it 4x daily and this is turning into a massive battle. He and I were so traumatised by last dose that I rang the GP who confirmed this is the only brand available in the UK. I can't believe there is not a child friendly version?!

Loads of toddlers must have to take this stuff so any tips on how to get it in him without literally fighting him and scarring us both for life!

Thanks

[wonderingagain]

Spoon full of sugar?

One before and one after.

[LadybirdsAreFab]

Mix it in with some yogurt? I do this with one particular medicine, the doctor suggested it but did say with as little as you can get away with.

It wasn't for antibiotics though so might be the wrong advice.

[ellabella2]

Worth a try thanks x

[MrsBungle]

Bribery?! My DD will do most things for a chocolate button!

[ellabella2]

Bribery sounds good except he doesn't like chocolate! I know strange child might try bit of marshmallow as his tongue and throat are very sore from the rash x

[soundevenfruity]

For me it's making the whole process very quick. I use those syringes that come with Ibuprofen. They don't have a plastic bit on which a needle goes so you are unlikely to poke your DC in their mouth. I say it doesn't taste nice but DC can have a biscuit afterwards and the medicine is going to help with sore throat/blocked nose/etc. Then you just point the syringe to the inside of their cheek and push the plunger quickly. Done!

[Thurlow]

I was going to suggest melted chocolate with it mixed it, but maybe something else gooey he really likes that you can blend it in with.

[TickledYonion]

Is penecillin the only option?
DD1 was prescribed with an antibiotic that was aniseed flavour. The smell made me gag, and unsurprisingly she spat it out and refused to take it. I went back to GP and she prescribed banana flavour amoxycillin whcih she was more than happy to take.

[TomArchersSausage]

Yes to bribing and lots of sweeties.

Aw he's very young. Could you also distract him by giving him spoon and (pretend) bottle of horrible medicine that he has to give to teddy at the same time? We used to do that

Is it the oink medicine? Gawd that one really is foul!

[TomArchersSausage]

Lol I meant pink!! Oink?? I'm having a bad day it seems

[StephaniePowers]

My ds got some antibiotics that were so foul he actually wept. Not messing-me-about tears, proper weeping, poor soul

I tried it myself and there was no way after that I was going to force him. What the hell are they playing at, giving kids medicine that is so completely foul? If it's the same stuff, it goes beyond 'doesn't taste nice enough for my little Timmy' - it cannot be swallowed!

Any GPs on MN with an answer?

Luckily my ds turned out not to need the abs (his infection resolved itself), the medicine was a precaution, but yours sounds like he really needs it.

[sheilatakeabow]

A few months ago DS was given something foul for ear infection, I gagged when smelling it, can't remember name though. Got it from walk-in centre and they swore it was the only one. Come Monday, after horrific weekend of literally forcing it down DS with him hysterical, rang GP, who prescribed the banana-flavour amoxicillin. When I googled the first medicine, found BMA advice saying shouldn't be prescribed to children as they wouldn't tolerate it. Don't know if this helps you at all though

[ChunkyPickle]

Bribery and sympathy..

DS has had two courses of Amoxcillin recently (which for us wasn't banana, and didn't taste at all pleasant) plus steroids which are pretty foul.

I agreed with him that it tasted bad, but that it would make him better and that he was such a good boy for eating it anyway. He would suck it from the syringe then immediately take a big gulp of juice. A couple of times I had to resort to treats, and a couple of times nothing worked I had to hold him down and squirt it in his cheek which wasn't fun for either of us.

Goodluck, it's horrible when you have to force it on them.

[FrancesHouseman]

Could try mixing with a bit of paracetamol suspension, or yoghurt as someone else has mentioned. I know the penicillin you're talking about and it is utterly foul. Good luck.

[mybelovedmonster]

chocolate button in one hand, frube in the other, then no hands free to bat away the syringe. Squeeze it in at the back of the mouth quickly, and then they can stuff the sugar/frubes in to get rid of the taste. Worked with DS and he's the pickiest child in the world.

[Chocoflump]

Sympathy for u. My 3 year old refuses to take medicine, has done since he was about 2. I've tried everything, mixing it with yoghurt, adding it to juice, but he tastes it right away.

We used to do the 'medicine dance' where dp lay Ds in his arms and danced and jumped around the floor and every time DS opened his mouth to laugh I squirted a bit in with the syringe. This no longer works as he just spits it right back out now.

[ellabella2]

Thanks for all your replies. I had been soon the syringe in corner of mouth while pinned down on floor . It was getting more and more traumatic each time though!

Have just made a big deal of 'finding' some marshmallows in the cuboard and he held one while I have him the meds in syringe. He took it like a lamb despite wincing face. He then woofed marshmallow and was well chuffed with himself I'm over the moon ns just hoping the novelty doesn't wear off before course of antibiotics is completed!

Like others I can't believe there is no flavoured version. Not sure if penicillin is different from amoxicillin?! GP was adamant and checked with pharmacist that there was nothing else. Ds is taking the bright orange stuff - FOUL

Thanks for all your advice