If your child has scarlet fever - what antibiotics have they been prescribed?

[TwoPintsOfGuinnessAndAPacketOfNuts]

DC was 10 prescribed phenoxymethylpenicillin tablets but can't swallow them without choking. They've now been given the oral solution but have thrown up /spat out the last 3 doses. Tried mixing with different things but nothing seems to work.

We have the same meds - oral for DD11 and tablets for DD14.

You just need to get him to take it - he's 10.

The same. We had issues with the first tablet, ended up getting it down with yogurt. Ds (aged 7) has had 2 more quite successfully with yogurt. We had the tablets as there is a shortage of the liquid, and I did tell DS that it tastes foul. At 10 though he just needs to take it doesn't he?

The website Healthier Together was recently mentioned on MN. It has a section on giving tablets and liquid meds to children which might help.

DD 3 has been given the Amoxicillin yellow liquid

Should have mentioned in first post that dc has sensory issues, particularly around food so just getting them to take it is easier said than done.

That must make it difficult then, can you ask the GP what they suggest?

What foods are ok, anything like yogurt or porridge, you could crush the tablet into?

Amoxicillin yellow liquid, but he's 3. Twice in the last 3 weeks since he wasn't given enough the first time. He takes travel sickness pills crushed in yogurt though. He also has food aversion issues.

My daughter had scarlet fever last year. She was prescribed the same antibiotics you have and we literally couldn’t get it down her. Tried absolutely everything, even pinning her down and trying to force it in - just came straight back out. It’s such a strong flavour that it’s impossible to disguise, especially for a child that is so ill that they aren’t eating or drinking much anyway.
After a few days, she wasn’t getting any better so I hassled the GP until they agreed to try something else. She was prescribed the yellow amoxicillin which she took happily and that seemed to work.

I will call GP in the morning to ask for advice.

I've tried crushing and mixing in different foods but no joy.

Would crushing it in Nutella work?

@Morellocherries how old was your daughter at the time if you dont mind me asking? It seems amoxicillin is more likely to be prescribed for younger children judging by these replies.

We've tried nutella but since it's so thick it takes a while to melt enough to swallow it, and by that time he's tasted the bitterness and started gagging.

are they available in capsule form?
those can be broken and the contents mixed with jam or chocolate spread.

Tablet in a teaspoon of golden syrup. Coats it completely. Swallow the syrup and then a bit of water.

@TwoPintsOfGuinnessAndAPacketOfNuts Yes, you’re probably right. She was 4 (nearly 5). I also have a child with food aversion / sensory issues so I know how hard it is and how frustrating when people tell you that you just have to be firm and make them take it. If only it were that easy!!! I hope you can get the GP to listen and that your child is better soon. X

Youngest exactly the same today! Moved to erythromycin which I had to go to 4 different pharmacies to find but is taking fine. Middle was already on erythromycin for a chest infection, so hoping that covers him.

Red liquid penicillin. Allegedly tasted like strawberry. Totally nightmare but we are using drinks and chocolate with every dose to take the taste away. We’ve bought “special Christmas chocolates” just for the poorly child and she gets them 4 times per day.
still hates the medicine but a strong ribena and a chocolate is incentive enough to get a spoonful in.

One of mine was prescribed amoxicillian for Scarlet fever years ago. I couldn't get him to swallow any of it and in the end I gave up and he got better on his own. The GP said if he got worse they could give an injection or iv.

Ah yes they are 2 and 4 so maybe. It wasn't a refusal as much as an ejection, however.

Just been given Amoxicillin yellow liquid, DD is nearly 3.

We had the liquid phenoxymethylpenicillin here. &little one isn’t even 1year old yet!
over the ten day course we had 2bottles, the full sugar version and the sugar free one. You can guess which one went down well and which got spat back at us. Maybe ask if you can try a sugary version?

DD has just been prescribed the same, not scarlet fever though (we don't think!) but she is 4 so not sure if it's an age thing. She didn't like the first dose but is taking it happily enough now, not sure if it's sugar free version though, there is a shortage so I just took what they had! I'd try the GP for an alternative.

@greenacrylicpaint I'll ask gp tomorrow. Thank you.

@ListenToChickens tried this method with honey to no avail but will try again with syrup and maybe a quarter of the tablet at a time.

@Morellocherries Thank you :) I really wish it were that easy. It's a major ordeal getting him to try and every failure is resulting in even more dramatics the next time. Apparently he'd now "rather die" than take it again 🤨

If you still have the tablets, I'd try them again, with drinking plenty through a straw immediately before and after. My niece has sensory issues but can now swallow tablets this way. I guess the problem with the liquid will be the last aftertaste, at least with the pill version it's over and done with.

All of the antibiotics for strep A taste horrible and the pills are quite big and can't be crushed unfortunately.

You just need to get him to take it - he's 10.

Yeah brilliant advice when you have a child who hates taking antiobiotics as my dd does (ASD).