To BEG for your help with this

[monkeymamma]

Ds (2) will not under any circumstances take any medicines, including Calpol. He currently has a chest infection and is clearly suffering. The gp had prescribed an inhaler (fat chance) and 6 days of antibiotics.
Surprise does not work as he is constantly on the watch for attempts to get it down him. Reason does not work, nor does reminding him that the doctor told him he must take it. Chocolate/bribery doesn't work - he either has no appetite anyway, or just wants the chocolate but no medicine and has a massive screaming hysterical fit if we won't give it to him. Until now we have got by by mixing it in with his favourite drinks but that doesn't work now, he's wised up to it and all it does is make him suspicious of all drinks (therefore risking dehydration). He won't hold the syringe or spoon. If he gets a whiff of me mixing it in with anything he just refuses all food.
We are in despair. Please tell me you have a magic trick that will work...

[sharonthewaspandthewineywall]

Poor lad! What child (or adult?) doesn't like calpol!!!!

[BelleOfTheBoys]

Ds1 was a meds refuser. I had to get very creative.

Antibiotics were magic glow in the dark medicine, full of magic lights. The inhaler was filled up with teeny tiny soldiers with swords to fight away the germs in his chest. Obvs, they needed the glow in the dark medicine to light the way. He had to swallow the medicine first so it wasn't dark, then the soldiers could fly in and fight the germs away.

Ds1 is OBSESSED with swords and this worked a treat. I had to do lots of drawing on the chalkboard of his chest, and the scary-looking germs. Then we squirted the inhaler at them shouting 'kapow' etc., then DS1 rubbed them out with a chalk sword. When he takes the medicine now we all yell 'kapow' and pretend to have swords.

He is now so happy to take medicine, vitamins etc that I have to hide them all very very carefully and he will occasionally claim to be poorly, and when refused medicine can be heard muttering 'kapow' to himself ever so slightly sadly.

I've created a monster.

Key to all of this was I didn't tell him directly about any of the germs or soldiers. I just made sure to explain it all very carefully to Daddy when DS was in earshot

Hopefully I haven't scarred him for life. We did a similar thing to get him to clean his teeth - the toothbrush is the Sword of Spikes and we Go Hunting For Teefy Monsters twice a day.

[BelleOfTheBoys]

Also: a friend who uses inhalers daily said she puts the spacer mask over their faces while they are sucking on a dummy? They are much calmer and they tend to be taking longer breaths in? If you use them, could this help - I think I've seen medicine dummies too?

[Cyclebump]

DS had croup at 2, we pinned him down to use the inhaler. It was the only way. Waited for the end of the scream and used the pump as he gasped.

I felt like a horrible mother and there were cuddles and tears on both sides but the alternative was him going to hospital if it had it worse.

[Edenviolet]

If he needs medicine you will have to get it into him. Even if it means wrapping in a towel to keep him still whilst somebody else prises his mouth open and syringes it in. We had to do this when ds1 was little being careful he didn't choke ( he did a little the first couple of times). Its not nice but its just for a few days.

[MrsDiesel]

Glad you've had some success. We use the pin and squirt method too. I usually sit ds on my lap with one arm around me and hold the other arm with one hanx. Use the other hand to squirt the pre loaded syringe in.

I have always tipped them back a bit then to make them swallow but reading this thread seems that is a choke hazard?! I won't do it that way again!