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Original poster

Scarlet fever - won't take antibiotics

24 replies

sunmonlight · 27/03/2023 20:20

My 4 year old was diagnosed with scarlet fever today and prescribed 10 days worth of antibiotics.

He's usually brilliant with medicine but he will NOT take even one ml of this medicine.

I've tried sugar, mixing it with all sorts (warm and cold), doing it bit by but, bribery and he's barely taken a ml.

Any suggestions please? I'm desperate.

He's barely eating/drinking as it is.

OP posts:

Wallywobbles · 27/03/2023 20:26

Is he actually vomiting them up? If not I'm afraid you explain and then it's force. He is 4 he doesn't get a choice.

thaegumathteth · 27/03/2023 20:27

It is VILE but you need to pin him down and syringe it into the back of his cheek

35965a · 27/03/2023 20:28

I agree it’s pin down and force. It’s distressing but when you’re dealing with antibiotics there’s no fucking about, they need them so you get them into their mouth.

Interested in this thread?

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4 year olds Children's health General health

Swifey40 · 27/03/2023 20:30

Hello, I'm a Nanny and mother of 2 ds. I'm afraid the above posters are correct. A good way to do this is to hold their nose so they have to swallow, it's distressing but scarlet fever can be dangerous, so needs must. Good luck 👍

Treeabovethefire · 27/03/2023 20:31

What colour is it op? We’ve just got anti biotics for scarlet fever and it’s bright red, looks like blood and it’s fucking disgusting. I don’t even know what to suggest

HermioneWeasley · 27/03/2023 20:32

My DS was the same with the antibiotics for scarlet fever. We had to wrap him in a towel like a cat and syringe it in then clamp his mouth shut. It took 2 of us. It’s horrible but necessary

arapunzel · 27/03/2023 20:33

My 4yr old DD had this at Christmas, and hated taking the anti biotics - she had amoxicillin.
In the beginning we did have to force the medicine after exhausting everything else. Thankfully she did end up accepting bribes - ice lollies with every dose to take the taste away, and YouTube (which we didn’t normally let her watch)
Good luck OP

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 27/03/2023 20:34

It is a really vile tasting antibiotic, very very bitter so nothing covers the taste, even other strong flavours like orange juice can't cover it.

Force and bribery, a swig of milk afterwards to clear his mouth and then something like chocolate or whatever he likes a lot to make up for it.

LaughingSomnambulist · 27/03/2023 20:34

You just need to do it. Hold him and do it.
Use the squirty syringe things and aim it to the back and side, it is really hard to spit things out from the back of the cheek. You can squirt it in by force to that area and it won’t cause him to choke like aiming for the throat but he also won’t be able to spit it up effectively and will swallow it down.

NotMyDayJob · 27/03/2023 20:35

DD had scarlet fever when she was 4 and in reception. She still talks about how horrible the medicine was (when we've given Calpol since, which is admittedly only about twice, she's double checked it's not going to be the nasty medicine). Anyway, like others, we had to hold her down, which probably didn't help her dislike, but she was very ill.

bluelid · 27/03/2023 20:36

Let him hold the syringe and do it himself? This worked for my 2.5 yo with antibiotics.

Brined with marshmallows after every dose.

Mix it in with ice-cream sauce/ maple syrup. You need to mix it with something thicker than its own consistency.

Brook450 · 27/03/2023 20:38

My daughter was the same. We forced it into her but then she would properly vomit so it was all brought back up again anyway. We got a different type of antibiotic from a&e that was a much smaller quantity (Azythromycin) and mixed it with a spoonful of Nutella. Worked a treat

purpledalmation · 27/03/2023 20:42

will he take some calpol? maybe he won't swallow if his throat is sore so if he is taking the calpol, give it an hour before the meds. If not it has to be the syringe in the cheek and hold his mouth shut. Sorry its awful, but it just difficult if you've tried everything

TomeTome · 27/03/2023 20:46

I’m going to say this so you can brutal. My child had scarlet fever and went on the spend two months in hospital having multiple seizures and had to remember how to use half their body …. Give him the medicine and if he cries give him a cuddle and tell him when he’s taking the next dose. I’m sorry but you can do it.

Woodywasatwat · 27/03/2023 20:54

thaegumathteth · 27/03/2023 20:27

It is VILE but you need to pin him down and syringe it into the back of his cheek

Yep.

It’s horrible and you’ll feel awful doing it but he needs to take the antibiotics. There is no other way sometimes.

I’ve had to do that with one of my children, every dose had me fighting back the tears but needs must.

Spendonsend · 27/03/2023 21:04

My child was prescribed a disgusting antibiotic once. I persevered with force , blankets and clamping mouth etc but i rang the back GP and asked if there was an alternative and the gp re-prescribed something nicer. We didnt miss a dose, it just meant the remaining course was less grim.

This one may be scarlet fever specific or the best so please dont stop as its important. It just it coukd also be the cheapest of the available ones, so might be worth a call tomorrow.

voxnihili · 27/03/2023 21:06

I had strep earlier this year and for the first time had an antibiotic that wasn’t amoxicillin for it. It was tablet form but it was awful - gave me terrible acid reflux. I was downing gaviscon like I was pregnant again. No advice sorry but if it’s the same stuff it’s horrendous!

Sirzy · 27/03/2023 21:10

I agrée with others. Tight hug, syringe into cheek, something tasty straight after to get rid of the taste.

don’t spend ages bribing and trying to reason with him that will just make it a bigger issue. A calm and collected “medicine time” and then do it

Verite1 · 27/03/2023 21:13

DD was the same when she was 3. Eventually we managed to bribe her by giving her a Percy pig sweet after every dose. Terrible for her teeth but we exhausted all other options. By end she was taking it quite happily, knowing she was going to get her sugar fix afterwards!!

treetop122 · 27/03/2023 22:40

My 3 year old just finished a 5 day course of amoxicillin.
She refused to take it.. so I told her she didn't have to take it any more. Then I just mixed it with her favourite innocent smoothie 3 times a day. She didn't even notice. No stress and I didn't mention it again.

Worked a treat. I know the taste is tricky to hide, but I tried to get a smoothie flavour that had banana in it as the antibiotic was 'banana' flavoured.

Good luck

beakyboo10 · 27/03/2023 23:12

My 4 year old had scarlet fever earlier this month, I mixed it with chocolate nesquik. Perhaps not the healthiest thing but at least he drank it, I just mixed it very well and he drank it through a straw.

adhdpunchbag · 27/03/2023 23:23

@sunmonlight try mixing it with neat cordial like vimto.

Original poster

sunmonlight · 28/03/2023 12:21

Thank you everyone.

I explained to him that I'd have to force him to take it, which pushed him to actually take it willingly.

OP posts:

Woodywasatwat · 28/03/2023 13:50

Bless him. I hope he feels better soon.

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