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Original poster

Getting DD 20mo to swallow medicine

29 replies

NachosPlease · 10/12/2018 18:09

DD is 20 months and we’ve found out today she has a UTI. She needs trimethoprim twice a day, but screams and spits it out every time or jams her tongue in the way so we can’t get the syringe in. She’s too young to understand food bribes although we’ve tried, and she’s got no appetite so isn’t interested in trying it in yoghurt or smoothies.

I’m in tears of exhaustion from 3 days of minimal sleep, covered in loads of spat out wasted medicine, and out of ideas. Anyone have any?

OP posts:

AtrociousCircumstance · 10/12/2018 19:26

Mesmerise her with the telly?

Sounds tough!

Original poster

NachosPlease · 10/12/2018 19:50

I think tomorrow we will give that a go (she’s recently discovered Peppa) with the medicine in some chocolate milk or something....otherwise I’m going to have to call the doctor again.

She absolutely hates medicines, we even had to get paracetamol suppositories on a prescription for her when she had chicken pox. She won’t even swallow delicious Calpol. I was dreading her ever needing antibiotics and it’s as bad as I feared

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WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo · 10/12/2018 19:52

Try syringing it in whilst she's asleep.

Or if she has a bottle can you mix it in with her milk? (Or is that frowned upon?)

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Original poster

NachosPlease · 10/12/2018 19:58

She’s never had a bottle, but we added some to milk in a sippy cup and it must have tasted weird as she just let it all dribble out of her mouth. I’ll try it in some juice or milkshake tomorrow.

Syringing while asleep might be worth a try, just a tiny amount at a time....I tried it into her cheek while she was awake earlier but she spits and splutters and coughs as soon as it’s anywhere near her so she sprays it everywhere

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TheCbeebiesYellowBlobs · 10/12/2018 20:01

We have exactly the same problem. When she was little I put a bottle teat into her mouth while asleep and put the medicine in that. It was hit and miss but the best out of everything I tried.

TheCbeebiesYellowBlobs · 10/12/2018 20:02

Just to add, she never had a bottle either, but she didn't mind sucking this in her sleep. I got the teat off a friend who used them.

Jackshouse · 10/12/2018 20:06

I had a similar issue at the same age when DD had been in hospital for48 hours on IV antibiotics and then needed oral antibiotics at home 3 times a day for a week.

For context, I am a gentle attachment style parent but I had to wrap her in a blanket with her arms pinned inside, tip her slightly upside down and gently squirt it at the back of her check. It is how they give medication to feral cats apparently. It was upsetting but very quick and it prevented her for becoming seriously ill again.

NiceUnusualDifferent · 10/12/2018 20:06

Syringe into her cheek then blow gently on her face. Works every time I’ve tried it

tissuesosoft · 10/12/2018 20:09

Holding down and syringing towards the side/back of the cheek. Then I hold DD’s nose so she’s forced to swallow. Sounds harsh but a minute of doing the above outweighs the risk of infections getting worse

pileoflaundry · 10/12/2018 20:10

We used a spilly spoon. I can't recommend it enough. It meant that DC felt that they were more in charge, rather than having something inflicted on them. It made a huge difference.

Original poster

NachosPlease · 10/12/2018 20:11

blobs wow ok, DH just went to the shop so I’ve messaged him to buy a cheap bottle teat, worth a try! Thanks

OP posts:

GinIsIn · 10/12/2018 20:12

You need to sit her on your knee facing forward. Pin the arm nearest to you against your body, and hold her outside arm down with the hand on that side. Tilt her slightly backwards. With the opposite arm, syringe the medicine into her cheek, a tiny bit at a time. After each bit, with the hand holding the syringe, stroke firmly down her chin and throat to trigger the swallow reflex. It’s not pleasant but it is effective.

TheCbeebiesYellowBlobs · 10/12/2018 20:13

Make the teat hole much bigger first as medicine is much thicker than milk

adoggymum · 10/12/2018 20:16

@Jackshouse totally agree- sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind, she'll feel so much better afterwards, is there no way you can explain (simply) to her that it's magic juice to help her grow or something? The 17month old little girl I babysit for can understand that (somewhat!), or try and do it first thing when she's hungry with some milk/juice mixed?

Try and play with her before to get her in a good mood, sing, clap hands etc then she'll probably be a little more tolerable of you going near her with it😉

It's hard though! But syringe sounds like a great idea.

Original poster

NachosPlease · 10/12/2018 20:16

I’ll try anything! I really did try the cheek thing but she’s squirming and blowing raspberries so violently it all just ends up getting blown/tipped out of her mouth. I also tried gently holding her mouth closed once it’s in but she just pushes it out through her lips.

I wonder if the GP could give a tablet if none of this works? A crushed up tablet might work better. Argh. Fingers crossed she swallows soon soon, ta for all the replies

OP posts:

adoggymum · 10/12/2018 20:18

@NachosPlease I find crushed up tablets actually taste worse due to the texture😫 so might not be as effective?

Redken24 · 10/12/2018 20:24

Wrap her in a towel and do a little at a time in the syringe to make sure she taking.
I once took my kid to hospital and the nurse told me very plainly that they would give the medicine anyway to make sure the kids get it and to just get on with it. Pretty shit but 😣 have you also tried chocolate bribe or offer to put in mouth then do some medicine

GinIsIn · 10/12/2018 20:38

If you hold the syringe between your ring finger and middle finger, and use your thumb to do the plunger, you can put your index finger into their mouth along with the syringe, which means they haven’t room to do the raspberries/spitting. Just watch out for biting!

Original poster

NachosPlease · 10/12/2018 21:15

Just managed very slowly and stressfully to get another 2ml into her when she woke up, she probably had about the same earlier so some has definitely got in. What a huge stress. The fridge now contains a variety of delicacies for the most discerning toddler (Frijj, Petit Filous, nice orange juice) so hopefully tomorrow she’ll have got over the initial resistance and we can sneak some in her food/drink, fingers crossed

OP posts:

NiceUnusualDifferent · 10/12/2018 21:25

Honestly once it’s I. Her cheek blow on her face it really really workd

Oneinthegrave · 11/12/2018 09:22

All this advice involves the baby opening their mouth... DS needs medication now and does not ever open his mouth will absolutely clamp it shut. How do you get over that one

SylviaAndSydney · 11/12/2018 09:27

Any liquid medicine I’d mix in with a drink.
Tablets would be crushed and given with yoghurt.

Seeline · 11/12/2018 09:33

Once - hold their nose - the mouth will open to breathe.

I suggest giving a smartie/chocolate button/treat of choice after any medicine goes down, regardless of amount. They soon make the association. If they then start taking it nicely, give couple. Have the treats in full view before trying to give hte medicine.

bobstersmum · 11/12/2018 09:36

My dd is on a regular low dose of this. She had so many antibiotics in the last 9 months and at first she wouldn't even take Calpol so I was exactly in your position. I only use a syringe to give it as then you can see exactly how much has gone in, and it does not spill as easily. I sit her on my lap as if she's going to breastfeed, one arm around her firmly, then the other hand is free, I distract her by being silly or singing and slip the syringe in the side of her mouth and literally give a tiny bit at a time.
Other than that, you can try taking 2.5 ml in the syringe of juice then 2.5 of medicine and give it a little shake, once she's realised it doesn't taste bad any more she'll take it, then give the other half.

Original poster

NachosPlease · 11/12/2018 12:15

DH managed to get about 3/4 of her dose in this morning in some fresh orange in a glass. She won’t eat or drink anything (other than breastfeeding) at all this morning though so I’ve not managed to get any more in, I’m going to try get the last 1/4 of her dose in with a syringe when she wakes up.

bobster when DD has finished her 2 x 5ml daily dose, she’ll be on a low dose of 2.5ml daily of this until she gets scans of her bladder and kidneys. That’s the rules where I am - one UTI between 1-4 years of age and they have to have those checks. Sorry to hear of other medicine-refusing babies, it’s so hard!

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