10 year old gags on liquid medicine - any success stories?

[WongaGoneWronga]

Dc age 10 has a long history of gagging on medicine of any sort. Does anyone have a success story of dealing with this?

We have tried, over many years, all the things like disguising with food, sipping with straw, persuasion, encouragement, distraction treats, rewards, sugary drinks, jam... by all means suggest some things, but I truly think we've tried all the usual and not so usual gambits we can find out about through searches and endless asking medical people and any parent with experience of getting past this.

We keep a supply of suppository painkillers, but some medicines aren't available in that form.

Currently need to get some antibiotics in to treat an infection, but so far no go a test all, with a full gag and vomit at every attempt.

Poor kid feels ill and wants the medicine but can't get it in.

Hypnotism? Counselling? Any last ditch ideas?

We're getting a bit desperate now because if this gets much worse it's going to be a hospitalisation.

Can they swallow tablets?

My 6 year old has tablets. What do they ry need in liquid form

No to tablets or capsules. Did manage a small chewy one three times for worms. Small mercies.

Are you able to grind up a tablet or empty out a capsule into milkshake or yoghurt drink?

I'm sure you've tried it, but what about in a yoghurt of a similar flavour to the medicine?

GP says this antibiotic (liquid form) cannot be mixed with food. Pharmacist agrees.

I'm wondering about getting a tablet form and crushing it up but apparently that reduces the efficacy. Still might be better than none going in at all.

Tablet. Get them to chew some bread and just before swallowing they pop the tablet in the middle.

Odd but works. I can swallow large lumps of food but never small tablets

He should be able to swallow tablets at that age. For painkillers calpol do fastmelts which dissolve on the tongue.

You might have tried this already, but what about if he pinches his nose so he absolutely can’t taste anything, then follows it up with a drink (strong squash?) to eliminate any remaining “medicine” taste in the mouth?

To be honest, if sounds like it’s psychological and “medicine” is such a big problem for him, the gag reflex is primed and ready at the very idea. I think exposure therapy is the only way out of it, and sadly there’s not much you can do as a parent to help him with that.

I taught mine to swallow tablets from an early age.

Tictacs and peas. Make a game of swallowing them whole. Much easier to learn as no bitter taste to trigger the gag reflex. Once they can control that, tablets are also easy.

What’s the infection? Do u think he could get away without the antibiotics?

My DD has a very strong gag reflex and couldn't keep Calpol down for years! Surprisingly, she did keep vile tasting antibiotics down, a tiny bit at a time by syringe with a choc button between tastings and a big drink of water at the end. Even calpol had to be administered a little at a time but I was so relieved when she kept it down, she must have been about 8 when she did.

A GP did prescribe a stronger liquid medicine so the dose was smaller, if that makes sense.

@WongaGoneWronga what's the antibiotic? Some antibiotics can't be taken with a full meal as less gets absorbed so it's less effective. But taking it will a few spoonfuls of yoghurt etc is going to have a negligible effect and is much preferable to not taking any antibiotic at all if it's clinically needed. Am curious as to what the antibiotic is.

Practice him swallowing tic-tacs, then work up. He swallows bigger chunks of food without noticing every day.

Yes, try practicing with M&Ms, smarties, peas, sweetcorn, skittles, etc.
Swallow a bit of water first so tongue not dry and sticky. Place tab on tongue and pull it to the back a bit with teeth, little sip of fluid, and swallow keeping tongue tip forwards pressed into teeth.
For liquids, pinch the nose shut.

Some progress today. Thank you for the support and ideas.

This morning was hideous, with gagging, distress and about 0.5mm actually being getting in via a short straw form a tiny cup.

Other half went back to pharmacist and pressed them on putting it in food. Decided that I needed food was better than not at all so we are now sitting here trying to get it in via yoghurt. It's gong to be a long evening.

I fully take on board about trainging to take pills. We've out it off for too long and bows not the time, but when this illness is out of the way we'll go for it.

At least some of it is getting in via yoghurt.