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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:
Me624 · 06/04/2017 17:55

My DS had to have the same antibiotic when he was ill over Christmas - you have my sympathies as it was vile, he had to have it 4 times a day for 7 days. He was only 9 months old so easier to restrain than your DS but it was awful, so traumatic for us both! but yes, as others have said, really no option but to pin him down and syringe it in. The first few times we did it DS was lying on his back across my knees and that made him choke on it, much better to do it upright. Quick as you can and nice drink to take away the taste afterwards.

DS stopped struggling so much a few days in, I think he became resigned to it bless him.

ExplodedCloud · 06/04/2017 17:56

Dd holds her nose for medicine she hates and has a Haribo ready to pop in her mouth :)

tinypop4 · 06/04/2017 18:00

I've had to pin my kids down for this. Not nice but the alternative is worse- he won't remember. Use the calpol syringe and bribe him with whatever sweet treat you need to if he can get through it.

corythatwas · 06/04/2017 18:03

OP, even if he does remember it, the point is that he will be there to remember it. The medicine will ensure that.

We all have unpleasant memories in our lives: it's the prize we pay for living.

Follow Writerwannabe's expert instructions, be as quick as you can, wrap him up and you will not have to go through the chasing scenario.

Keepkondoing · 06/04/2017 18:06

I've pinned mine down too, only for anti biotics not anything else as like others have said them not having it could be worse than being forced to have it. It's horrible and you'll feel terrible. I tried hiding it in everything but he could taste and smell it as it is so vile! I don't think my ds remembers now (he's 8 and He had antibiotics for tonisillitus two or three times between the age of 1-2.5)

FurryElephant · 06/04/2017 18:07

Blowing in their face once you've squirted the medicine in usually works too Grin

Algebraic · 06/04/2017 18:10

I remember my parents doing a very coordinated pin down when I was little to deliver medicine. My mum used a syringe so it went right to the back of the throat then sort of covered my mouth so I had to swallow. Not very nice but essential as they'd tried everything else.

Quartz2208 · 06/04/2017 18:11

It is vile DS had to have it after scarlet fever and sepsis and it does taste disgusting he had it 4 times a day for 14 days (we had two bottles). However it's needed to kill of the bacteria so he does need to take it we had ours after a two cannula doses and I knew he needed them. The thing is after forcing a couple of times they do realise it's happening so it gets easier

SomethingBorrowed · 06/04/2017 18:14

Oh I have done it. Physically blocking their arms and legs (using my arms and legs!) and sringing the medicine in the mouth / spraying it up the nose or ear.
Not nice but you are doing it for them.

hazeyjane · 06/04/2017 18:15

With ds it takes 2 of us, he is wrapped in a towel, syringe in side of mouth, not to quickly (he tends to throw it up otherwise) and stroking the side of his throat seems to make him swallow.

It is bloody horrendous and ds has ended up in hospital on iv antibiotics, as he has chest problems. The worst thing for him is prednisolone, he just gags and it pours out if his mouth.

PopcornBits · 06/04/2017 18:15

My DD just been given antibiotics for tonsillitis. She hated it as well. I tried mixing it with drinks and food still wouldn't touch it.
Then I realised mixing it with calpol took the taste away, that stuff is strong!

PopcornBits · 06/04/2017 18:16

fluorescent orange, I think we have the same antibiotics!

hazeyjane · 06/04/2017 18:17

We can't get calpol into ds either, and have to use suppositories!

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 06/04/2017 18:20

OK so that went well. Squirted into side of cheek right at the back and he managed to spit it all over my face and hair Sad Guessing I need to put the syringe even further back...but doing that I would be nearly touching the back of his throat?!

OP posts:
Kiroro · 06/04/2017 18:21

You said you made a huge milkshake - don't do that. If you do try and put it in something to make it more palatable use a small amount of something so he can still get it down in one 'gulp' but just takes the taste off (like a tiny bit of neat squash)

UnbornMortificado · 06/04/2017 18:23

It's horrible Wanking my youngest hates anything medical.

A course of eyedrops had me sobbing for three hours in the tub. It's medicine he needs it, is there anyone who could help you pin him down?

I realise reading back that sounds horrible but sometimes it just needs doing.

cantthinkofagoodone24 · 06/04/2017 18:23

Also if he has strep his throat is probably pretty sore so he might get better at taking it once he feels a bit better.
Big hugs it's horrible

corythatwas · 06/04/2017 18:26

I used to gently hold dd's jaws together and rub under her chin so she had to swallow (think I got that from James Herriot- though in his case it was a horse)

NotExactlyHappyToHelp · 06/04/2017 18:26

DS had to have this for scarlet fever not long ago.

He hated it, cried screamed puked it all up etc.

The syringe technique coupled with a Frube yoghurt straight after (I pre opened it and had it in his mouth within milliseconds) helped somewhat but he still threw up more than he took.

In the end I phoned the Drs and explained he just wasn't getting a dose of it and they prescribed tablets which was a godsend.

PragmaticWench · 06/04/2017 18:31

I really, really feel for you, I've been there! One of the good side effects of having a DD who needs daily medicine though is that DD has become so used to taking medicine that she now asks for it as a treat! Grin

After struggling so hard with DD and medicine at the start, we gave vitamin medicine every day to DS from very young so that if he ever needed antibiotics it wouldn't be so tough.

Another tip for liquid medicines and inhaler spacers is to spend ages 'playing' with them and getting DC to give their dolls or teddies the medicine syringe or spacer. They then get to give it to you, then move on to taking it themselves, just pretend at the start with water in the syringe or pretending to squirt the inhaler.

Our house is somewhat medicine-happy!

GrainOfSalt · 06/04/2017 18:35

Yep you have to do it. I had to do the same when DS was three. After 2 days of IV antibiotics he was put on vile oral antibiotics. It took me and a nurse to get it into him and when they discharged us I just had to wrap him in a towel like a cat at the vet and force it down him (single parent ). Four years on he still remembers how vile the medicine was but doesn't seem to remember me pinning him down. It would have been more abusive if I had not given it to him.

flumpybear · 06/04/2017 18:45

Syringe with neat Ribena

boatrace30 · 06/04/2017 18:50

I've had this with DD. The sugar free abs are vile!
We did force it down. Had to hold her still and sometimes hold her nose (horrible) but we always have a treat afterwards, lots of hugs and praise and we've pretty much cracked it now. She sees medicine as a good thing

BertsBlanket · 06/04/2017 18:54

I've seen mixing it with coke thoroughly recommended on here and have added it to my repertoire (although not yet had to resort to it). A small beaker full, then drink with a straw?

bookwormnerd · 06/04/2017 18:58

Have you tried yoghart (petit filou is the best in my experience) my 2 year old has had alot of antibiotics with some vile ones. I found splitting dose in 2 and mixing in the actual pot so looked like yoghart worked