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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:
PersianCatLady · 07/04/2017 16:33

Each time ds had a dose he could cross one out with a felt tip pen
That is such a good idea as kids love stuff like that.

If you were to find a way of making some sort of product using that idea, I suspect that you would make a fortune.

WineAndTiramisu · 07/04/2017 17:57

lalalalyra - they're not made to taste horrible on purpose, it's just the drug that causes it! A bottle of antibiotic drunk accidentally is much safer than calpol, it's not a safety issue

gameofchance - often there is no alternative, different antibiotics work for different infections

Also most antibiotics aren't made in tablet form in such small doses unfortunately.

Daisy17 · 07/04/2017 18:05

I have to blow up my D's nose as soon as medicine is in....

PersianCatLady · 07/04/2017 18:39

A bottle of antibiotic drunk accidentally is much safer than calpol, it's not a safety issue
It is still far from safe.

Screwinthetuna · 07/04/2017 19:05

Syringe. Is it the yellow or orange one? Both of my kids like the taste but I had my 2yo kick off and had to force it when she had scarlet fever.

Do you have an iPad? Get a new, exciting app (even the free popping bubbles type app) and let him have a play. Then, take it away (when he's enjoying it) and say he can only carry on playing if he has some medicine. Give him the iPad back and then squirt it in with the syringe when he's occupied.

Another thing that works is the episode of Peppa pig when she has to have gross tasting medicine. Have a watch and then play it; pretend you are having some and then be really ott about how gross it is, even rolling around on the floor, etc. Make it really funny so he's laughing. Sounds counterproductive but it usually makes them want to have a go so that they can also act it out

Stripeyblanket · 07/04/2017 19:10

I'd ask for a different doctors advice and explain you are struggling to get him to take it. There has to be another option for him to be given.

NorfolkEnchance · 07/04/2017 20:32

My youngest was prescribed flucloxacillin for infected chicken pox, it was vile and made him sick. There is a non-penicillin alternative for it called erythromycin that he was prescribed instead.

Crumbs1 · 07/04/2017 20:44

Wrap in bath towel, syringe alongside cheek not to back of throat. Hold chin up until swallows. It's over in seconds if you're firm enough. Dilly dallying about getting them hyped up is much more cruel. Chill the syrup really well too. Pinching nose hides taste too.
You need to parent here - a few seconds mild unpleasantness is a whole lot better than a deteriorating infection.

Lelloteddy · 07/04/2017 20:47

If he gets wise to the tea, wrap child in towel or blanket, squirt with a syringe as far back as you can and pinch their nose ( gently) which stops the spitting.
And immediate big reward and praise to distract. Hope he feels better soon OP

SoftSheen · 08/04/2017 08:12

Syringe, followed by a square of chocolate. Not fun, but once he knows you mean business it will get easier.

As well as children, I have had to give medicine to horses, dogs and cats. Cats are the most difficult BY FAR!

Squeakymoo · 08/04/2017 12:05

My sympathies - it's awful having to force a child but it is the only way. my DD was on Brufen a orange flavour anti-inflammatory/painkiller which had to be taken 3 times a day for abut 5 years, this was taken either with a syringe or off a spoon making sure she 'turned the key' to ensure all the medicine was licked off the spoon. At first we had to bribe with sweets or fruit but she got used to it - she now hates anything orange flavoured.
When we graduated to tablets initially the best way was to get her to manage swallowing tablets was to chew a grape, cherry tomato or bite of banana then swallow the tablet with the mushed up fruit - slid down easy and avoided the problem of swallowing water but leaving the tablet behind with it's bitterness

BertieBotts · 08/04/2017 12:59

Unborn I think it's just random. DS had a perfectly straightforward birth and was barely ill as a baby/toddler yet was awful at all medicines until he was about 5 and understood that he needed it to make him better. Jabs were the worst. But he used to spit calpol everywhere even.

Toddlerteaplease · 08/04/2017 13:14

I'm a peadiatric nurse and there are no nice versions of it. You'll just have to be firm. We e had children in hospital for 6 weeks because they have refused to take oral antibiotics. Though the child was a bit of a spoiled pfb.

Toddlerteaplease · 08/04/2017 13:14

Hold his nose. He'll have to swallow it.

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 08/04/2017 13:40

Tea is still working Smile

Week or so left.

After this course hes going to be expecting cups of tea 4x a day lol

OP posts:
Booboostwo · 08/04/2017 13:58

I am really glad you found a solution with the tea! Hope it keeps working.

I have had success with giving iron liquid over 4 months and inhalers regularly with operant conditioning. It's the same method I'd use with a horse or dog which you either cannot restrain or which risks getting you hurt while trying to restrain.

You pop the medication in a syringe. Your break the giving it into smaller actions, e.g. syringe touches the mouth, syringe approaches the mouth, syringe is looked at, etc. You go backwards until you find the action that is tolerated, e.g. just looking at the syringe, then you reward for this action (a small piece of chocolate or similar). You repeat. You go to something else, you try again. If all goes well you move onto the next action on the line if that makes sense.

It sounds like this will take years but by the third repetition you have a good chance of being able to give the medicine.

witsender · 08/04/2017 14:03

If it is the runny reddish liquid by daughter had it for scarlet fever, horrible stuff. We literally mixed it with shit loads of pure honey... Absolute sugar hit but got it in.

sillypussy · 08/04/2017 15:02

If you pinch your nose whilst swallowing you can't taste it. Keep it pinched and then have some chocolate. Make it into a game. Worked with my kids.

hazeyjane · 08/04/2017 15:24

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

Original poster
WankingMonkey · 08/04/2017 16:57

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 Grin

OP posts:
hazeyjane · 08/04/2017 17:11

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

chloesmumtoo · 08/04/2017 17:25

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 Grin

skerrywind · 08/04/2017 18:10

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.

BertieBotts · 08/04/2017 20:20

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!!

Robinkitty · 08/04/2017 20:45

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

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