To force my child to take medicine...

[WankingMonkey]

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

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

[WankingMonkey]

OK doctor said she didn't know and had apparently never been asked that before!

Pharmasist says its fine aslong as I put it in after milk.

We make him tea mainly milk tbh.

Wrong bloody dose was written on first bottle too (they didn't have enough so had to pick up more today). It said 2.5mls. He supposed to be on 5mls 4x a day FFS. So having to add another half a sugar to the tea to mask the extra taste :( Brushing teeth 4x a day now as I am so paranoid about his teeth with this much sugar.

[HPandBaconSandwiches]

Cup of tea not good OP unless you wait til it's cool enough for a toddler to drink and give it immediately. Penicillins are temp sensitive and will degrade at higher temps.

Try Nutella mixed with the medicine on a spoon with a chocolate button held out waiting.

Flucloxacillin is the devils medicine, absolutely horrifically disgusting. Anyone who hasn't tried it cannot comprehend how awful it is!

[Sleepandchocolate]

I agree he needs the medication and you do have to be cruel to be kind. If it's any help try getting a blanket and swaddling him in it before giving him the meds you need a lot less pressure to control him so he's less likely to hurt himself. X

[Woobeedoo]

I'm currently having to give my little boy medicine for tonsillitis right now, we've found giving him a cup of milk to glug immediately after works for him.

Oddly I was flicking through a really old book called "How to hold a crocodile" this evening and it had the following tip for how to take vile medicines. It said to either suck a really strong mint before the dose, or to suck an ice cube (for a really small child I'd suggest an ice lolly). Apparently both these things numb the taste buds enough for the medicine to be taken and not have a taste, or at least have a much diminished taste.

[BertieBotts]

I knew it was supposed to be kept in the fridge but I assumed that was to keep it fresh as it usually needs keeping for about 2 weeks.

[Wigglemunch]

I had the same issue when my boy had nasty tonsillitis, the medicine was truly vile. I would coat a calpol syringe in chocolate spread (after sucking up the dose of medicine first obvs), then he'd have one giant dairy milk button before a dose to get his mouth nice and chocolatey, suck the choc spread off the syringe with the dose, then another button after to get rid of the taste. Worked so well he was asking if it was time for another dose lol, he was however at least a year older than yours OP so more able to understand that he needed it to get better.

[MsJamieFraser]

I've physically had to sit on my boys while dh squirts the medication to the back of their throats, it's bloody heart wrenching but needs must.

[jinglesticks]

Icing sugar. Loads of it to make a thick paste. DD was fighting and crying when she had to take that medicine, but would happily wolf it down mixed with icing sugar. I know it's terrible for teeth...

[leghoul]

Putting it in anything above body temperature is not a good idea

[BeyondThePage]

sorry - missed that it was in a cup of tea....

Don't think that is a good idea. Most antibiotic medicine needs keeping in the fridge - don't know about that one?

[BertieBotts]

Beyond she's putting it in a cup of tea. Oh no OP ... I didn't know that either!

[BeyondThePage]

before milk should be fine - milk is at body temperature after all... mixing with milk and heating it up would not.

[Mamawingingit1234]

Ella's kitchen pouch! This is the only way our daughter will take it. They can't see it's in there. Shake it up properly and don't do it in front of them. Usually the taste is lost in there. Yogurts don't work because of the consistency. Not sure if you'll get away with 4 pouches a day but this is what we do when she needs it. Good luck xx

[WankingMonkey]

cold kills off taste and does not harm the antibiotic content unlike heating

Oh dear..I didn't know this. Have been putting medicine in before milk for some reason.

I have a doctors appointment myself on Monday, will ask her if I have likely killed all the good stuff in the medicine

[Taytotots]

Syringe definitely the way to go. What helped with mine was letting them press the plunger on it. Not sure if novelty value or because it made them feel more in control.

[leghoul]

Agree a 5ml syringe is much more effective than a 5ml spoon for evading tastebuds

[leghoul]

I had to force DS to take some vile tasting antibiotics - neon yellow, but not banana flavoured- more like a toxic grapefruit flavour that made me quite nauseated just smelling it. I had to make him take them 6 times a day the only thing that worked was immediately giving him a drink to get rid of the taste and immediately giving him a jelly sweet, either Percy pigs or the fizzy ones that are a bit sour. & strawberry actimel sometimes instead. He coped but only after the bribing routine in place & much chasing him around the house.

[BeyondThePage]

ice cream/ice-pop (cold kills off taste and does not harm the antibiotic content unlike heating) -
pinch nose closed (no smell=less taste and nose closed=have to swallow to breathe),
medicine syringed in - almost on to back of throat itself,
ice cream/chocolate button/cuddles after.

that is the advice we give in the pharmacy

[Robinkitty]

My dd has just been prescribed nice tasting antibiotics, it's orange coloured amoxicillin tastes sweet.

[BertieBotts]

Pinching nose doesn't work for me either, I wonder if it's a genetic thing, like whether you like coriander?? Also swallowing with your nose pinched makes your ears pop which is horrible!

Great that the tea works!!

[skerrywind]

he saw the medicine and ran from me

Is this antibiotic really necessary? A child who can run isn't in dire need .
I had a medicine refuser- was prescribed several courses, but never had a spoonful. Now 16 and has never had even a spoonful of Calpol in her life.

I am not dismissing those children who have an absolute need to take medication- indeed methods of encouraging those children are essential.
But if the methods of delivery are so stressful that has to be weighed against the likelihood of the infection clearing up by itself.

[chloesmumtoo]

Sorry not read all the thread but I remember this well with dd at around the same age. Dm and myself with dd absolutely refusing and having to feel like cruel people and pinning her down and holding her nose. Was horrendous and we still chat about it today!
If I remember rightly the doctors were quite helpful and prescribed a stronger dose so I only had to get half a spoon in rather than a whole spoon. Doesn't sound much but was a godsend at the time and halved the struggle atleast

[hazeyjane]

....ah, I would have just puked before getting to drink anything more pleasant.

[WankingMonkey]

It does work. I used to down cheap cider in my teens by blocking my nose, necking bottle then having a drink of something nicer, then unblocking nose

[hazeyjane]

Heh? I'm pretty sure that doesn't work. I just tried pinching my nose whilst taking my iron liquid....still tasted foul.