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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To force my child to take medicine...

193 replies

WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 17:01

I have not done this. But this is the advice of the doctor Shock

So yesterday my son was given antibiotics for a strep infection. He took the first dose, then realised how vile it was (and it is vile, I tried a little to see). When it was time for his next dose he saw the medicine and ran from me. I eventually got him to take a little but that was it.

I called the doctors back today to ask if they have any other kind of the medicine as it says sugar free on the bottle so I thought they might possibly have a nicer tasting version. Doctor says no. She told me to try hiding it in yoghurts, bribing him with a piece of chocolate if he takes it, and so on. I have tried these and he clicks on straight away about it being hidden in food/drink and point blank refuses to take it for treats. So the final advice the doctor gave was to 'pin him down and force it down him' which sounds fucking horrendous.

She says he really has to finish his course. And a minute or two discomfort is worth it to make him better, which I sort of agree with but I just don't think I can bring myself to actually force medicine down his throat...won't that make him sick? He will hate me too.

I don't know what to do here, and any other advice is very welcome Sad

OP posts:
cardibach · 06/04/2017 17:06

If he needs antibiotics, he needs them. And he needs the whole course. Once he realises you mean business, I bet you won't have to actually hold him down, but if so, well...you'll have to I guess. He won't hate you.
When DD was small she broke her arm badly. On our ward was a little boy who had had operations on both legs. His mum wouldn't make him take pain relief because he 'didn't like it' which meant that at regular intervals he was screaming in pain and the nurses had to take action. Missing a dose of this medicine won't have such a dramatic consequence, but you should still insist.

Wishiwasmoiradingle2017 · 06/04/2017 17:07

Milk shake?

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 17:08

I kind of know this is the route I need to go down but was hoping for ANY other tips as this seems so horrible and abusive to me..hes only 2..next dose is due in an hour Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 17:09

Tried milkshake. Nope. Its so strong tasting that I would guess you can taste it in anything. Made a huge milkshake and added the dose (only 2.5ml) and he could still taste it and refused even though he loves the milkshake normally.

OP posts:
BlackHillsofDakota · 06/04/2017 17:09

Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. If the dr says he really needs these meds then you need to get it in him. If negotiation, bribery and hiding it hasn't worked you don't really have any more options. What else do you propose?

nicknamehelp · 06/04/2017 17:09

Better than been hooked up to ivs in hospital.

My ds used to hate having his inhaler I would have to clamp his head between my knees hated doing it but he soon realised it was happening whatever and let me do it

helpimitchy · 06/04/2017 17:09

Yes, you have to pin them down sometimes. Strep infection is serious you know. Get it into him. It's medicine, not sweeties. It's not meant to taste nice.

Billybonkers76 · 06/04/2017 17:10

He needs the antibiotics for him to get better, yes medicine does taste awful but you have to get them to take it. Pinning him down does sound extreme but the alternative is that he ends up in hospital with a more serious infection. How old is he?

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 17:10

On top of this, how do I force him to swallow? I can get it in his mouth easily enough but he spits it out.

Wish DH was here. He could do all of this without feeling so guilty

OP posts:
IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 06/04/2017 17:11

You've no choice frankly. It's not ideal but would be 100x worse if you didn't give him the antibiotics. It has to be done

hippoinamudhole · 06/04/2017 17:12

Give it through the night instead of during the day. That way you can syringe it into his mouth while he is asleep and he will swallow automatically

WorraLiberty · 06/04/2017 17:12

I used to use a syringe, so the taste bypassed their mouths and went more or less straight down the throat.

That and a square of chocolate did the trick.

handmademitlove · 06/04/2017 17:13

Use a syringe and aim it at the side of his cheek.

Firstaidnovice · 06/04/2017 17:13

If you go down the pinning down route, use a calpol style syringe and aim for the back of the cheek, if that makes sense. Makes it easier to get it down/less likely they push it back out with their tongue.
It's horrible, but really has to be done. We have graduated to "magic juice". I use carton juice that we don't normally buy so she doesn't know what it tastes like without medicine in. I have been known to snip a corner, stir in the medicine, tape it down, and present it with a straw like a normal carton. But if you're doing four times a day antibiotics that is a lot of juice :)

PonderLand · 06/04/2017 17:14

It must be tough when he can run away! My DS is only 9m but I had to force feed him a sugared solution when he had a hypoglycemic attack. 5ml every 10 minutes for 6 hours Sad it didn't work so he had to have a cannula in anyway! I wish they'd just done the drip to begin with but I don't think they realised that every single one had to be forced with him.

Just keep persevering with hiding it in foods etc. There's nothing else you can do but to keep trying to get it in him. How old is he?

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 17:14

Give it through the night instead of during the day. That way you can syringe it into his mouth while he is asleep and he will swallow automatically

He needs 4 doses a day spread out evenly apparently. So I could do one when he was asleep but not the rest. I didn't know you swallow automatically in your sleep...

OP posts:
cardibach · 06/04/2017 17:14

Have you got a syringe? If you kind of squirt it towards the back of his mouth and wave it about a hit it's harder to spit out. Follow up with a. Immediate drink, squirted in with another syringe if necessary.

ilovevenice · 06/04/2017 17:14

How about a marmite sandwich (if he likes marmite obviously!). With a small dose like that you should be able to mix it in (probably with the butter?) and I haven't yet found the medicine that can be tasted through marmite...

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 17:15

He is 2

OP posts:
Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 06/04/2017 17:15

I found syringes worked much better than spoons. For one thing, you can squirt it far down the throat so (a) it misses a lot of the taste buds, and (b) can't be spat up again.

And don't feel guilty. It's a necessity. Think of it like a car seat - your child might not like the straps, but you still restrain him in the seat - because it's the best thing for him.

ChocChocPorridge · 06/04/2017 17:15

You have to do it. I've had to do it maybe twice, but DS quickly became reasonable enough that if he was that ill that he needed medicine, I woul dhave the medicine, and a drink ready right next to him, he would shot it, then take a massive gulp of the drink and I would sympathise with how bad it tasted. I think a couple of times there were kinder-egg bribes.

DS2 is a different kettle of fish and I'm pretty sure he'd be wrapped in a towel, head between my knees, and medicine syringed into his cheek while he screams blue murder at me in anger. But he's stubborn like that.

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 17:16

OK thank you for the tips. Syringe pointing to back of cheek and maybe a further one of...juice or something nice?

He has never tried marmite..I have a feeling he wouldn't eat it but I can get some tomorrow and try that too. Thanks.

OP posts:
minisoksmakehardwork · 06/04/2017 17:16

I'm a 'strong hug' and a syringe type parent when it's needed. Sit child on lap, one of their arms behind you. Hold the other arm with the one that goes round their back and holds their head. Kind of squish them into your chest to reduce movement. Squirt syringe to side/back of throat. It doesn't matter if they clamp down on the syringe as it's in their mouth.

I suspect your ds has the utterly rank supposedly aniseed flavour one (white liquid).

Elvish · 06/04/2017 17:16

Liquid antibiotics are truly horrible and I had this same issue with DD when she was small. There were a couple of times where she didn't finish the course as she would just spit them out.

Since she was 6 she could manage to take a tablet and since then we've made a point of asking for tablets the few times she's had to take antibiotics. I might not be possible depending on the doses required but it could be worth a try? Would he be able to swallow a smartie without chewing? Or could you get capsules that could be opened up and mixed with a spoonful of yoghurt??

DoraChance · 06/04/2017 17:16

I had this when my then 2 year old had croup very badly. It was horrible to see him so upset, but at the end of the day he needed the medicine. Think of it like a vaccination - they need those too but don't like it. Hope next dose goes well.