about the syringes they've started putting with medicines?

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The ones you get with Calpol etc these days.

I'm sure the reason is supposed to be to make sure the dose is measured accurately but I'm not convinced it actually helps on that front, it really isn't that hard with a spoon and does the difference between 5ml and 4.75 ml really matter?

The syringes are difficult to clean, it's more plastic for landfill (because how many do you really need?) and they're fiddly and messy to use. I'm sure they lead to more waste too as I end up with medicine down the outside of the bottle.

AIBU or does anyone prefer them?

Absolutely love them, so much easier than a spoon. Surely in regards to landfill, it makes no difference. Spoon or syringe.

I hate them and go and find a spoon kept from an old packet tbh.

My DS (5) won't have a syringe near his mouth since he had a very high temp last year that wouldn't come down and a nurse in A&E woke him up by forcing one full of nurofen into his mouth and squirting it all over the place.

I much prefer them to a spoon.

And as for getting medicine down a dog ... they're a bloody godsend! (Not that I'm giving Calpol to the dog, you understand. Just that she's recently had medicine from the vet that came with a syringe.

I loved them for oramorph - it tastes so vile that it helps avoid it a little!

We use them at work (nursing home) to ensure accuracy of dosing and they don't get knocked over so no more spilt medicine. Easy to administer the medicine too. We love 'em.

The syringes are a genius idea.

I love them. They only came in when my kids were about 6m old but I knew about giving oral medicines by syringe from when my dad was dying, and I bought oral syringes at the pharmacy when I bought the first bottle of Calpol. In fact in the early early days (post vaccination etc) the best way was to dose it into an upturned bottle teat, but in any case, I don't even think now at 3 years old I would want to wave a full teaspoon of syrupy calpol at them.

Friendofbill I was advised to insert the liquid into the inner cheek, not directly into the throat.

Haven't encountered this yet -do you wrap the struggling child in a towel and insert the syringe into the side of the mouth?

Joking, joking, can you tell I have to medicate the cat daily...

You may joke, Kitty, but I had to do that when DS was a baby, three times. He hated calpol! He could probably have done with having it more than three times ever, but it was such an ordeal I didn't bother unless I was really worried.

I think he was about five by the time he would reliably take it from a spoon.

I didn't know you could take the stopper out. I'll do that. I buy 6+ calpol for me because when I'm ill tablets make me retch. It's a pain in the arse to get 20ml out of the tiny hole!

When DS2 was little, I had to hunt high and low for a syringe because they were hard to get hold of. He would not take medicine off a spoon. He would detect it mixed in with food and refuse thatfood forever afterHe's 9 and it's approximately 5 years since I successfully administered any form of medicine. That was only because he had a torticollis and was so weak and sore that he was unable to fight me when I squirted tiny drops of calpol 6+ (needed less) or ibuprofen into his cheek.

Kitty
Yep to wrapping the child up. Forcing foul tasting antibiotics into DS2 4 times a day when he had yet another bout of tonsillitis required a similar approach to cat wrangling.

I was so glad when his tonsils were taken out.

Well yes Kitty, actually I was glad I had practiced on the cat for years!

Dogs are much easier than either (pop pill in cube of cheese).

Syringes are a million times easier than a spoon. I remember when ds1 was a baby trying to hold his hot little body still, pin his arms down and measure out a dose of calpol. All while suffering sleep deprivation. I ended up with sticky pink goo all over my bed and had to wake then dp to help. (He hated being woken and moaned about it for about a week)

Then the pharmacist sold us a syringe and rubber stopper thing that went into the bottle. Fab! Except the stopper had to be removed after every dose to put the lid on. Imagine my delight when I bought calpol recently and found it came with a syringe! On the rare occasion dc (now 10 and 8) need medicine they love sucking the syringe hard enough to get it out. No hands needed!

And why do syringes make a different re landfill

If you don't want them, send them to me, please. They have a slightly larger hole than normal syringes, and are perfect for feeding baby pigeons.

Please and thank you.

My DS won't take medicine - I might try the struggling cat approach myself next time he needs it

I have to dose the cat daily with stuff that comes like this, it's very neat and precise - I feel very medical filling the syringe, less so manhandling the cat...

Hi smile I wonder if anyone wishes to recycle their old calpol syringes? Please message me if you have more than 10 at home. I will send out a self addressed envelope (or package) to you. Any donations would be much appreciated

I find them really useful in drawing out splinters when my DC won't let me near them with tweezers.

I prefer them to spoons but I do think they should be offered by the pharmacy rather than included with every purchase.

Much easier for babies and there will be some idiot out there who thinks a tablespoon is a teaspoon. These medicines have to be idiot proof

I have them for one of my meds as an adult! But for me the difference between 1.5mls and 2mls, is the difference between be walking to bed and crawling to bed!!😂 I’d dread to see what me on 3mls plus would be.......

Right. Don't use it then.

@tommythanks have pm’ed you to offload our syringe mountain.

Also v useful for dosing up an uncooperative dog

I prefer them too but agree about landfill.
They can be repurposed for water play