to ask if you know a way I can get DS to take his medicine?

[Andanotherthing123]

DS is 6, type 1 diabetic and on his second lot of antibiotics in a month for a toe infection. He has sugar free antibiotics as he can't have the sugar ones because of the type of infection he has (Dr said this when I asked).

He is retching with the taste (they do taste repulsive) and bringing the medicine back up. He has to take them so I wondered if anyone knew how I could sweeten them up or another way to help him swallow?

I'm at my wits end - if he doesn't take them and the infection continues he'll end up in hospital and could loose his toe.

Could you try mixing it into some food? I did that the last time my DS had nasty tasting antibiotics (mixed them into yoghurt)

In our house the chocolate fairy used to hide chocolate for children who had to take nasty medicine to go and find after they'd swallowed their medicine, to take the taste away. Worked wonders! I appreciate you can't use chocolate, but how about some other kind of fairy?

DS2 had to take a foul tasting antibiotic when he was 8. I resorted to simple bribery - take the medicine and immediately follow it with chocolate. Clearly this may not be appropriate for a diabetic!! The chocolate served both as a bribe and it took the taste away.

Thanks betty did you mix it in a whole yoghurt or just with a couple of spoonfuls?

Also, I made it plain to DS that if he didn't take it, he would end up back in hospital on intravenous antibiotics. I was sympathetic but firm and hugely glad when he'd taken the last dose!

I'd mix it into a couple of spoonfuls then give him the rest of the yoghurt to take the taste away.

Choc is a good idea as I can follow it up with insullin. I like the idea of a chocolate fairy!

If you have a big tesco they do chocolate buttons suitable for diabetics. I used to have to buy them for a little girl I looked after at brownies when the other kids had "normal" sweets

The chocolate fairy would leave just a couple of smarties or a few squares of chocolate somewhere hidden (but not to difficult to find) - like in the middle of the stairs, or under a toy or something. DDs quite looked forward to having to find them - but they knew that as fairies are magic, the chocolate would only be there if they swallowed the medicine.

Mix it with sugar-free Ribena and then syringe it straight at the back of the throat.

I think you might need something immediate to take the taste away as well as some fairy chocolate.

Beware of using too much yoghurt to mix in with the medicine. I've made that mistake, and then been faced with the fact that DS HAD to choke down several large spoonfuls of yoghurt so I could be sure he had received the full dose of medicine. Rather concentrate the medicine into as few spoons as possible - ideally one - so that if he takes agains the process you don't have to keep going.

I've only ever got medicine down with a 'taste-away' sweet/spoon of honey or ice-cream to follow. If you can find a treat that would work for you diabetic child then I recommend that as the way to go.

Good luck and sympathy. We've all been there and its horrible, and I feel for you with the added complication of the diabetes. Best of luck

Mix it in with neat squash