How do you get your toddler to have their meds?

[davidtennantsmistress]

until now DS would have calpol etc willingly, he at hte mo however has a slight thraot infection. (is chirpy & swallowing ok thou) but DR has given him some penicillin,thing is thou to be fair to DS it tastes absolutely vile and it's a battle to get him to take it - (i'm struggling with 3ml out of the 5ml he has to have)

whilst I don't want to give his ishoos about having meds he obv needs to complete the course.

tried a spoon, and syringe. also tried it with me at the meds end, poppy holding him, and nanna on stand by with a biscuit - responce is the same and he won't open his mouth.

any tips?

dd2 won't even take calpol, let alone anything else, just gets spits it out everywhere. I give her any medication in her milk, she doesn't realise and at least I know she is having most of the dose, as opposed to very little of it. She is 2.5yrs and I can see me doing this for the rest of this year, at least Good luck.

can you do that even if they say 'an hour before food, or on an empty tummy?'

he took the first spoon ful easy now it's a battle! lol. as I say can't blame him thou its' vile.

There was a thread about this a few weeks ago - someone suggested mixing it with banana custard.

Sorry, just read your last post - that won't work then!

would it be better to have it with a bit of yoghurt or custard or not at all???

I think at least getting it into him would be the better choice, if in doubt just ask your doc.

that's what I was thinking BOM - tbh my pratice here is so utter crap the dr was so sarcastic and patronising I won't be seeing him again, was meant to be the duty dr, and was dictating letters instead of ringing me quickly to see DS's symptoms (at the time he wasn't swallowing and I couldn't rouse him)

I know they're very busy people and all but come on!?? and when I walked in he said 'oh he looks fine to me, sit down while I finish this letter wtf??

anyhow perhaps I should ask the pharmacist if I can give it to him in say 2oz of milk?

yes ask the pharmacist. Mine is very helpful, I must say I love my doctor, she never makes me feel silly or overprotective, but she is part time, maybe that helps??? I hate docs who make you feel that way and there's no excuse for it, they chose that job so do it properly. Sorry, just ranting.

a full tummy can stop the meds being absorbed but I dont think a little bit of something would matter, esp if it's the only way to get him to take it.

will do I think yes, the other dr's in the practice are the 'old ones' I had from a child and are fantastic (I feel) but of course they're the faves for everyone so you have to book up 2 weeks in advance to see them - (what good is that when you have a toddler!

hi there, I had lots of practise with kids and meds, and although a full stomach may hinder the medication working a spoonful of yoghurt or custard wont, surely better to be inside him with a spoonful of sumthing that not at all, whats his favourite food, either that or phone the gp and ask for flavoured meds i.e. banana or equivelant. Dont let the Docs make you feel like that, your his mum and know best for him, docs have no right to make parents feel inadequate etc

Maybe go back to the doctors (obviously not the same lousy one!!). There are alternatives that taste better. My doctor offered to change the antibiotic my child was on once if he wouldn't take it.

He did take it in the end though as he accepted that it would make him better and DH gave him a chocolate button to take away the taste.

Syringe into the cheek, not the back of the mouth. Followed by a chocolate button treat to take away the taste.

To be perfectly honest, at toddler stage, if necessary I held her nose so she had to open her mouth and swallow it. Quick, brisk and no nonsense. Then lots of distraction, cuddles etc when it's all over. Chocolate buttons if necessary