WIU to force ds to take medicine? Feel awful about it.

[RoadrunnerMeepMeep]

DD 6 has chest infection and been prescribed penicillin. At 6pm she refused to take it saying it made her feel sick, me and dh tried explaining how would make her better, she wouldn't get better without it etc. We tried bribing with ice cream, said we'd have to take her back to dr and he would make her take it, tried mixing it with juice so she would drink it that way but nothing. She flat out refused. An hour later I was ready to hold and force it down her throat which sounds awful I know but don't see what other choice there was? Either make her drink it or forget about having any medicine?

Dh wasn't keen on this anyway so he spent another hour trying to talk her into taking it. By 8pm I said to dh that I wasn't trying to be mean but that she'd had plenty of time and encouragement to take it so now wasn't going to mess around any more. Dh held her while I tipped it down her throat. She freaked out but only for about 2 mins, then she cuddled for a bit with us then went to bed with no problems. And she had medicine. However I feel like absolute shit for having to force her to take medicine and dh didn't help, afterward he said how horrible it was and he couldn't do that again. I felt really awful forcing her but can't help thinking I was being cruel to be kind. What does everyone else think? Was I being unreasonable/the worlds worst parent?

I would have done the same. And probably regretted it. And stressed about it. And then done it again because I really do think this is one of those times when you just need to override their wishes. I really hope it goes better tomorrow xx

My BIL did this (forced his DD to take her antibiotics) and it turned out his DD was allergic to penicillin! And she finished the whole course before he figured it out, after much arguing, misery and a real pain on their vacation. His DD was about 6 at the time. Doctors REALLY should warn people - penicillin allergies are serious and they always ask adults whether they're allergic to medications. How do they think people find out that they're allergic? Please check for allergies just in case...

You did the right thing and we've had to do similar with DD2.

However, penicillin tastes vile and the flavourings they use to mask it can be very strong.

There was a banana one that, hating bananas, I simply could not take.

That's why I know penicillin tastes mouldy and horrible, it took be a while to get good at swallowing pills. It was still better than banana flavouring.

Ach - I can appreciate how miserable it makes you feel - I really can.

Ds1 was OK - in hospital, he used to swill down the vile tasting soluble prednisolone, even though it was horrible. also antibiotics. he's fine now, all under control etc

Ds2 is a different story. he is rarely ill - He's 9 and has seen his GP twice. But both those times, he needed antibiotics. we tried the rational approach, cajoling etc, then in the end, we got a medicine syringe, pinned him down, and gently and slowly squirted it in, with a drink afterwards.

I felt like shit briefly - but seeing him respond, and become more comfortable made it worthwhile.

He doesn't seem scarred by it. (It was quite a while ago now)

Oh - and Ex-dh is a GP, and we've always has a cooperative, rational, cajoling, then a non-negotiable approach to essential meds. A certain period of time explaining and cajoling, then it's time to draw a line under it.

You are the adult- she has to take the medicine so it is non negotiable.

Of course yanbu I have had chest infections and have seen how devastating they can be, you are her parent and acted in her best interests.

Pixwix - mix prednisilone with a little bit of blackcurrant juice makes it much more palatable.

Actually as it was antibiotics I wouldn't have forced my child. DS2 did this two years ago and we bribed and we coaxed and we wheedled and we sat him on the naughty stair until he was going to take his medicine. After nearly 2 hours on the naughty step I attempted to force him to take his medicine. He fought back, and I stopped because I knew he had 30 doses to take and if I had to fight him 3 times a day for 10th days, the damage to the trust he had in me would outweigh the benefits of the medicine.

We called the doctor who said we should wait and see if it got worse, and if so he would get the antibiotics in a shot, rather than syrup (and that perhaps that'd teach him). In the end he got better by himself but it took a long time. I don't regret not forcing him. Although I'm the adult and I needed to ensure he took his.medicine, the act of forcing something into my DS's mouth and forcing him to swallow it seemed to me too brutal to carry through.

I'm s battleaxe when it comes to this stuff... Ds1 has been prone to conjunctivitis since babyhood and is the worlds least cooperative patient. I've had to pin him down to get eye ointment in before. And the oral thrush medicine was just joyous for all concerned but he bloody well took every dose.

No way would I have arsed around for 2 hours. If they refuse on first offering they get told in no uncertain terms that if they don't take it their favourite toy/game will be confiscated. Only ds1 has ever pushed it past that point and even with him I've never had to spend more than 10 minutes before he concedes or gets it shoved down his throat.

Medicine is non negotiable in my book... I've seen pneumonia and severe infections first hand and experienced them myself and will make damn sure my children never have to experience such if at all preventable.

My mother once referred to me making 16 month old dd take medicine as child abuse.... I've still never forgiven her for that tbh.

If your pet is sick you pin it down and make it take the medicine as it doesn't have the understanding to refuse. A young child is no different, they can't comprehend the consequences of not taking the medicine and therefore the decision has to be made for them.

You did the right thing and tomorrow tell her she has to take it and if she refuses do the same. I think when children get themselves into a state about these things there is no reasoning with them. Ds is terrified of having his ears looked at by the doctor so we ask him once to sit still if he doesn't I kinda put him in a leg and head lock until it's done. Then I give him lots of cuddles once it's over.

Until DS2 was 7yo, I had to pin him on my lap upright to get his inhalers into him. 3 times a day. Every day. From the age of 7mo.

It was a choice between that or hospitalisation, and possibly worse.

He now does them himself, quite happily.

One of mine was put on a foul version of pencilled which he spat out repeatedly. I rang my local chemist who was able to reissue it in a full-sugar yum version.
Failing that I find mixing with custard works well too. Having had a child hospitalised with a chest infection, and a TERRIBLE paediatrician digging about with a cannula that wouldn't stay in, any amount of coercion to take oral meds is worth it.

Should add... My post makes it sound like this is a regular occurrence but actually were really lucky, ds1 has never had ABs, dd only once and ds2 only in SCBU by IV.

Eye ointment about 3 times on his life and oral thrush meds last year were the major battlegrounds with ds1.

Getting eye drops into a 2 year old isn't easy without help! I can't see that any 2 year old is going to meekly take it. It is all rather like getting tablets down the cat - but their teeth and nails are not as sharp!

OP, in my experience, you only have to "force" them a couple of times.
I had to give DS antibiotics (the banana flavour syrup - yuk!) and I did almost the same as you, except I only pleaded/ argued/bribed/begged for half an hour.... Eventually i told him calmly and firmly that I will make him take it if he doesn't do it by himself.
Only had to hold him twice, after that he realised there is no escape and did it quickly without resistance. I always gave him lots of praise and a little treat afterwards.
Good luck, I know it's difficult but she will be fine

Is it fairly neurtal flavoured/ couloured? Can you just stick it in her cerial tomrrow morning when she's not looking?

YANBU

I've had to hold DS down while he had blood taken at 2 months old. He screamed and kicked but he needed the test to see if his blood transfusion had worked. I felt like shit but it needed to be done

Also had to give my nephew a dose of AB's one night when I was babysitting. It was near the end of the course but my sister had forgotten to bring a syringe with her. In the end I had to hold him whilst OH gently poured it into his mouth from a spoon. When my sister walked in a couple of hours later (DN sleeping soundly at this point), I explained what I had done and apologised about a million times but she said that she had to do the same on the first dose because they didn't have any syringes at the time

It is horrible, OP, but you definitely did the right thing. As PPs have said, you'll only have to force it once or twice, then she'l learn that its easier just to take it. My DS had to take soluble aspirin every day for 6 months folowing heart surgery 2 years ago. That realy was hard work as it tastes bloody disgusting! I didn't blame him for not wanting it. But even that he got used to very quickly, when he realised that it takes a couple of seconds to down a disgusting drink complared with the battle if he didn't take it!

OP can you get her a medicine syringe so you can squirt it more or less straight down without her tasting it?

Here is my technique for teaching children to take tablets.

Use frootz sweets,

Get ds/dd to take a mouthful of juice, tell them not to swallow and to keep it in the mouth, then put frootz sweet in and tell them to swallow it.

If the sweet goes down fantastic! If not they have a sweet to eat.

Repeat process until sweet is gone, they know there is nothing to fear and if they can swallow the frootz they can swallow a tablet with no trouble.

It really worked with my nephew who was hysterical at the thought of taking tablets. He does it with no problem now.

Another of my tricks is to mix medicine with yogurt, ds has never refused.

ds currently has chicken pox, my mum got us some portion from the chemist. Told ds that grandma had come esppecially to give him some extra special medicine to make his spots better. He couldn't wait to take it and now wants his special medicine from grandma!

Sorry for long post

Portion was supposed to say piriton, damn auto correct

I have no truck with children not taking their meds, I can't as all three of them have required meds for very important reasons in their life (cellulitis, arthritis, gastiitis, asthma, chest infections etc - I have sickly children with rubbish genes).

No messing, no matter how vile the meds are they have to be taken - sweets are given as bribes if needed but they all have to take their meds, on time and with no fussing. They do get used to even the vilest of meds and take them without kicking off now. DD1 & DD3 even like prednisolone now and DD3 asks to have her 'pink meds' when she's had an asthma attack!

At times I have felt like getting a drugs trolley due to the amounts of meds to be given (luckily only 2 lots of inhalers, one lot of laxatives, one lot of asthma meds and one lot of gastritis meds and eczema creams needed at the moment and that's a low level of medicating in this house) but meds aren't optional neither are blood tests or vax. Mind you they see me taking vast quantities of tablets every day so I guess it's normal in our family!

If anyone needs an easy way to get pred. into children, the best way I have found is to dissolve the tablets in the least amount of water possible (under 5mls usually) and then syringe into the side of the cheek followed by a drink of juice - much better than being given a 30ml solution of the stuff and being expected to get a 1y to drink it all down (thanks walk-in Dr - that didn't work well did it?)

I think you did the right thing. Ds2 (4) was on the orange pencillin medicine in the summer, he hated it but luckily was open to bribery of a few tic tacs if he took it! Previous to this both ds' have been a dream to take any medicines. Dd on the other hand is a nightmare and too young to reason with as yet so force is the only way!

YANBU. You got to do what you got to do..

Agree with earlier poster who advises you will only need to do this a few times. DD2 had severe croup. She had to be held down in A&E to get medication into her, because I wasn't able to (administrated via nebuliser).
I felt more sorry for A&E nurse than my LO. Poor nurse was red in the face from the exertion from keeping DD2 constrained for duration of nebuliser session).
About 2 major kick-offs later, she got used to it, and didn't need a repeat A&E visit. Since then, DD2 will take any medicine, but syringe is mode of less resistance.

Had similar problem with DD1 with repeated UTIs. Again, several times we had to hold her down to syringe the antibiotic into her. But after a few times being restrained, she was able to take medicine as required.

Even thought my DDs are now 8 & 10, I still use a syringe to get any liquid meds into them. (got more to do with me being clumsy, but they do prefer their meds that way).

So don't feel bad. You did what was necessary to bring your DC back to health. The alternative would have been very unreasonable indeed. (i.e. not to get the meds into you DC).

Best of Luck!

I remember a trip to ER with ds1 when he was small,he needed steroids ( reactive airways,couldnt breath) he was about 4. They gave me a dose in the ER cos he needed them NOW not when I got to a drug store. The doctor said "they taste really bad, good luck with that". I offered it to Ds1 who tasted it an said YUK. I put him on his back over my knee, I was kneeling on the floor outside an exam room in the ER, help his nose and tipped it in. The doctor was like WOW I wish every mother would so that,it would make my life easier.
My children never got a choice with medication,ever, they either took it voluntarily or I made them take it, they made the choice. They got the message very quickly and I never had problems with them refusing again.

Its awful when they are crying and choking and have medicine coming out their nose but hey Its for the best