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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

What to do with a child who won't take medicines?

28 replies

Roxswood · 05/09/2005 20:26

My little girl is now 14 months and has always hated taking medicines.
She screams and screams so much that if you actually get them into her mouth she chokes on them and vomits.
This weekend she has had tonsillitis and a high fever and we have really struggled to get any medicine down her so we've had no sleep and a really hard time keeping her temp down.
Any ideas anyone?
(She's very fussy with food and drink, we've tried putting medicine in it but she knew right away)

OP posts:

starshaker · 05/09/2005 20:27

what medicine are you giving her

Original poster

Roxswood · 05/09/2005 20:30

I have tried Calpol and Nurofen syrups and we've tried soluble Disprol. We've been prescribed antibiotics in the past but never managed to get them down so we haven't bothered going to the doctor this time as they've been absolutely no use on this matter.
Soluble disprol is more likely to go down than anything else, but then you have to get much more down to get the same dose and she'll only have a teaspoon or so of this, theres no way she'll actually drink it.

OP posts:

dinny · 05/09/2005 20:31

Roxswood, do you use a syringe? (orally, not with needle )

Original poster

Roxswood · 05/09/2005 20:31

I do use homeopathic medicines and she will take those as they come in tiny lactose pill form I can just pop them in her mouth and she'll suck on them. Chamomilla and Belladonna have been helping her a little but painkillers would be really useful.

OP posts:

jane313 · 05/09/2005 20:32

My son is exactly the same; he won't take anything since he was one, and if we managed to get it in his mouth (using a syringe) he vomited it back up within minutes.

I used chocloate mousse/pudding for antibiotics, tyxilix and calpol a few times. It was the only thing that worked for me. Has she a favourite food?

The only other option is asking for a suppository. Someone mentioned it on here and 2 french mothers I know said that is how they give all childhood medicines in France. Its a faster route into the system evidently!

Original poster

Roxswood · 05/09/2005 20:33

Yes, we've tried a syringe, dropper, spoons, and also cups.
Usually I end up pinning her down and dropping it into her mouth with a syringe but its a huge battle and more often than not she's sick straight away.

OP posts:

starshaker · 05/09/2005 20:34

my dd is sick if i giver calpol or stuff like that but she likes medised (sp) its less gloopy and sugary

dinny · 05/09/2005 20:34

can you disguise whatever medicine in milk or something? though I did try this with dd and she sussed it immediately.

Chandra · 05/09/2005 20:37

I sometimes mix them with a couple of Oz. of milk and give it in a bottle when he's half sleep.

If using a syringe, point it to the inside of the cheek and release half a dosis, wait until she has swallowed and then repeat. The rick is to give them tiny sips of the medicine, small enough so they can't spit it out.
HTH

newscot · 05/09/2005 20:40

I bought a dummy medicine dispenser from Tesco. That is, a dummy that also dispenses medicine! It has worked really well with my 11 month DD

yorkshirelass · 05/09/2005 21:11

We mix calpol with a bit of strawberry yoghurt but I suppose it depends if you DD likes whatever it's been mixed with really!!!

jamboure · 05/09/2005 21:15

we use a wee syringe

LIZS · 05/09/2005 21:19

Paracetamol suppositories are good in an emergency.

Original poster

Roxswood · 05/09/2005 22:22

Thankyou for all your suggestions.. unfortunately I think we have actually tried every one.
She has never had a bottle, and will only ever take sips at a time out of a cup and has never used a dummy.
Chandra, thats pretty much what we do, we give her medicine half a ml or so at a time and usually just as we get to three or four mls down she vomits everywhere..
I will try and buy Medised if thats less syrupy maybe she'll prefer it.. anythings worth a try at this stage.
Also any ideas where to buy paracetamol suppositories from? Do I have to just ask in the chemist?
Believe it or not taking her for her vaccinations was less distressing than trying to give her medicine.

OP posts:

Chandra · 05/09/2005 22:25

What about waiting a couple of minutes between every half ml?

And explain to her what are you going to do and why are you doing it, she may not understand a thing but she may pick up from the tome of your voice that you are sure the medicine is the best and only option. If she sees you are anxious she will get as well.

Original poster

Roxswood · 05/09/2005 22:28

Thankyou Chandra, we actually managed to get a full dose of Nurofen down her this evening, by waiting between each half ml, it took us nearly 45 mins to get it all down but it didn't come back up, and now she's sound asleep YAY!
Its such a pain though! Next time can I have a baby who likes Calpol please?

OP posts:

starshaker · 05/09/2005 22:34

medised is great also helps them sleep i even dont mind the taste. she vomits if given calpol. really dont see why they make a childs medicine with so much sugar e numbers and gloop in it

emkana · 05/09/2005 22:37

In Germany where I'm from they use suppositories for children as well, I really CANNOT understand why it's not done in this country, it's soooooooooo much easier with babies and small children! I asked a doctor for a supp for my dd once, he looked at me as if I was a pervert! Now I always get parecetamol suppositories from Germany.
Really annoys me this!

emkana · 05/09/2005 22:38

That's the other thing, starshaker - suppositories make all those added things in Calpol unneccessary.
Come on, who wants to join me in a campaign to make suppositories more widely available?

Chandra · 05/09/2005 22:44

I have to confess that I have been smugging them into the country every time we go out of UK

emkana · 05/09/2005 22:45

Why smuggling? Is it illegal to bring them into the country?

Chandra · 05/09/2005 22:55

Not that I'm aware of, couldn't hink of another word .

serah · 05/09/2005 23:19

Hi Roxswood

If you can get some Calpol, try expressing some milk and mixing it.

I'm prepared to bet anything she will take it far more readily from a syringe or cup (far more readily than 45 mins anyway!) It tastes like lovely subtle strawberry milk.

Always strikes me as odd when they advertise it as palatable strawberry flavour (or whatever). It might be - it just needs diluting! I am basing this on personal experence, as I refuse to feed anything to my baby that I have not tried myself first - and I had absolute hell trying to get DS to take calpol etc until I discovered this trick. Good luck!

Original poster

Roxswood · 06/09/2005 00:04

Thanks Serah thats worth a try!

OP posts:

vickitiredmum · 06/09/2005 00:11

Smugging made me smile Chandra
Medised is brilliant stuff - its more a liquid than calpol or nurofen so it doesnt make them gag so much (and it does make them sleep!!!!) our dd has always been pretty good with medicines but occasionally we would show we were have it too so DP would have a syringe full of water and go "mmmm yum" and then try her with a bit of medicine and do the same - it worked sometimes if she felt like playing the game.

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