3yo DS refusing to eat or drink. Help!

[Sairelou]

I took DS to the GP this morning and he's been diagnosed with tonsillitis and given antibiotics. He's been ill for the past few days, very high temperatures (around 40 but hover around 38 after calpol/ibuprofen), shaking, coughing etc.

He's been eating less over the past couple of days but today he has only had a tiny bag of buttons after we came out of the GP surgery. He's had one dose of antibiotics and one dose of calpol since this morning.

Now he is point blank refusing anything. He hasn't had any water in the past couple of hours and is refusing to drink no matter what it is (even when offered hot chocolate!) and now refusing his medicine and calpol.

What the fricking hell do I do now?! I'm really quite worried

[Wolfiefan]

Lollies?
Iced drink? Straw may help?

[Sairelou]

No lollies in the house, have texted DH to bring some home after work.
All the cold drinks I've offered have a straw in but not working. He just says "I go to sleep mummy" then pretends to go to sleep (complete with fake snoring!)

[Wolfiefan]

Surely a couple of hours without a drink of water won't hurt. Don't miss doses of AB though.

[Rubyslippers7780]

Use a clean calpol syringe with orange juice and squeeze into mouth..play it as a game..the hospital advised us to do this with our toddler when he refused. The novelty made him drink and we could measure how much he had... once he'd actually had a reasonable amount he started feeling better and drank with a straw.. * took a good 3 hours just giving him 5ml of orange every 10 minutes though...

[SnugglySnerd]

If he has tonsillitis it will be really painful to swallow. I'd keep up the Calpol and antibiotics. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in quite quickly and he'll start to drink/get his appetite back.
I had recurrent tonsillitis throughout childhood until I was about 25 and that was always my experience.
Crisps are good to eat as the salt is quite soothing. Also anything really cold like ice lollies or ice cream.
Hope he feels better soon.

[Sairelou]

He's already missed the next dose. I tried him with it in a syringe but h wouldn't take it. I asked if he would like a yoghurt so I stirred it in that (he didn't see) but he then decided he didn't want the yoghurt anymore. He's been doing that a lot over the past few days (more today). Asking for food/drink then deciding he doesn't want it. So I think he is quite hungry and thirsty just it's hurting him too much to do so. But he won't take any painkillers either!

[Wolfiefan]

If he misses doses then he the course won't work.

[Sairelou]

I know but then how do I get him to have it when he just won't entertain swallowing anything? If I force him then he will probably choke on it/spit it out/sick it up and then getting the next dose in him will be even harder

[Bythebeach]

Poor little mite. I'm 39 and have tonsillitis too and feel like crap. On Wed I ate nothing but kept up with water, on Thurs and today I've managed a little food but is sore. The important thing is fluids-anything he will take or ice cream/ice lollies/watermelon and check he is still wearing regularly - if he isn't, get medical advice.

[Bythebeach]

Wearing = weeing

[jelliebelly]

Ice lollies/slush type drinks that sooth or numb the pain might work. Tonsillitis is like swallowing broken glass bless him.

[Sirzy]

See if you can get some difflam spray to help ease the pain in this throat.

As for the antibitoics it's one of those things if necessary you will need to be cruel to be kind and pin him down to get them in.

[Wolfiefan]

Sorry. I agree he may have to be pinned down.

[Sairelou]

Thank you all. I managed to get a dose in him but I feel awful having to emotionally manipulate him to take it. Maybe i'm just too soft.
He's fallen asleep again now and is snoring away bless him

[picklemepopcorn]

At this age mine would take it from someone else. So I asked the doctors' receptionist, the school teacher, a random friend...

[Wolfiefan]

Doctors don't give ABs for no reason. It is not good to miss a dose. Really isn't.
There are times a child can say no but in this case you have to get him to take them.
How about he gets an empty syringe and gives a dose to you or teddy then you give him his?
Won't comment on the soft thing! Wait until he's a teen and then you will know!

[Inneedofaholiday2017]

You do have to be cruel to be kind with medicine.
With the fluids agree with the little and often - you need to stop him getting dehydrated. Sryinge in ice cold water or let him suck ice cubes