Children taking medication

[Ollylily1]

Can anyone help, my daughter needs to take antibiotics, I have tried putting in juice, tea yogurt and it still tastes horrible I've even tried ketchup, I'm struggling she needs to take it, has anyone found anything that takes the taste away, or any other suggestions

If you’ve tried bribery and all other forms of firmness... Bundle her up in a blanket and squirt it in to her cheek. Pinch her nose to encourage swallowing.

What's her favourite thing - Ben & Jerry's chocolate ice cream worked for us for the kids, the dog has his embedded in cheese

You don't hide it in food. You give it and then a treat after. A syringe like you get in calpol or kids ibuprofen . Stand behind them so you an rest their head on you, aim for the back corner of their mouth. Acknowledge that it's disgusting but they have to have it because it will make them better and they can have water to take the taste away and [a treat] when it's swallowed.

I bet it's the godawful aniseed flavour (for the record, it's nowhere near aniseed flavour imo ). I second bundling in a towel, or sit on lap, assuming you're right handed. her left arm round your back and cuddled in, home her left arm with your left arm, use your hand to pull her close in to you and squirt medicine in mouth, aiming for one side to the back.

Is it flucloxacillin? Awful stuff. Renowned.
My Dd was incredibly resistant and would spit out even cheek-squirted meds.
How old is your child?

Get them to pinch their nose - really helps. Follow with smarties/chocolate buttons etc

If they are tiny, nap still, and will stay asleep whilst propped upright then giving it whilst asleep can be the least traumatic way. BUT be vigilant that it has been swallowed ie wash it down with a dream feed or dummy suck or similar. And obviously providing it does not need to be given on an empty stomach.

Failing that, you could ask for a more palatable alternative. Banana or some other flavour....

Yes it is, she is 9

I had to be firm with my 2, aged 7 & 8.
They are old enough to know they NEED to take it. It’s up to them how they take it. I can pin them down and force it in, or they take it on their own.
We usually do 1/2 a syringe at a time and then a shot glass with Irn Bru, which is sweet enough to kill the awful flavour!

Good god at 9 she just needs to get on with it!

I thought we were talking about a toddler!

Please never pin down your children to do this.

Down quickly followed by a treat.

9 is old enough for bribery. Big treat at the end of the course? (Day out etc) Tick sheet so she can have a bit of a countdown

Or would tablets be an alternative?

She is not like a usual 9 year old, she has learning disabilities as well as other issue so it is a very traumatic for all parties involved

Can she swallow a tablet?

Please never pin down your children to do this.

Sorry but sometimes children do need to be restrained for things like teeth brushing, medication, suncream etc. Maybe not older children but if my 3yo is being difficult about any of these things then I'll hold him and just got on with it because it's for his health/safety and non negotiable.

When I have needed to dose Brownies on holiday we always followed the routine, with everyone in the group doing the actions.
Hold your nose,
Swallow fast and
SHOUT ''THAT WAS HORRIBLE''
Followed by a sweet treat to take the taste away (or plain bread works better for some tastes)
Perhaps something like this would help your little one. It effectively makes a game of taking the medicine

Absolutely agree, sometimes you have to do this..the alternative if oral antibiotics aren’t given and the infection worsens is hospital admission, cannula insertion (sometimes numerous if they become dislodged) and then IV antibiotics up to 4 times a day dependant on the medication...this is all far more traumatic to the whole family.

It may be worth asking for an alternative antibiotic in this case that is more bearable taste wise because some of them taste pretty nasty. Good luck!

I give a sweet in each fist, then squirt it in, let them swallow then shove the sweets straight in after. It gives them the control over speed of administration of the sweets

I'd get a syringe, and squirt it into the cheek. And follow up quick with a choccy or marshmallow.

flucloxacillin is foul, my DD refused it and is usually good with medicine so I dipped my finger in and tried a dab, revolting.

I went back to the doctors, apologised profusely and explained that medicine was no good if I couldn't get it in her. Got a different type of antibiotic and problem solved.

I'very been a paediatric nurse for 15 years, if someone has the solution to this please let me know. It is a big problem. Wish they'd just put the sugar back in it.
I did once manage to get a 3 year old to take capsules though, but it depends on the dose.

Giant chocolate button in each hand so child has control. Syringe yucky medicine (talking about it and being honest that you know it's yucky but once swallowed she can shove 2 buttons in her mouth and you will refill her hands with 2 additional buttons. This worked with my dd aged 3 and we've also used it age 6.