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Original poster

HOW ON EARTH(!!!!!) do you get medicine into a 16 month old who point blank refuses to take it? DESPERATE!

35 replies

HeinzSight · 11/12/2010 14:04

My DD2 has an ear infection, is feeling extremely poorly but just refuses to take any medicine.

We've tried putting it in her milk and juice - but now she's suspicious of any drinks and has hardly drunk anything today despite her milk not having anything in it.

I've tried pinning her down and trying to syringe the medicine into the corner of her mouth, she gets sooooooo upset/histerical and is very good at spitting it out.

I need to get her anti biotics into her and she needs calpol too.

HHHHHEEEELLLLLPPPPP!!!!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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Sisqinanamook · 11/12/2010 14:12

Sorry but with DS when he was little it was pin and syringe. Awful experience for all involved but it's necessary. It took 3 of us, myself and DH to pin him and my practical DSis to get it in! Her line was stop messing around and prolonging it, just do it, firmly and quickly!

Good luck, I found it quite upsetting Sad

JarethTheGoblinKing · 11/12/2010 14:14

we used to put calpol on DS's readybrek (disguising the taste by adding a yoghurt as a treat) :)

FannyLogan · 11/12/2010 14:16

Ditch the calpol and try paracetamol suppositories, you can buy otc but expensive or get on prescription. Much easier and hassle free all round, no nasty additives and works quicker. Can't help with the abs though.

QueenGigantaurofMnet · 11/12/2010 14:18

fromage frais.

it is thick enough to take the texture and if you get a strawberry or raspberry flavour it will mask the meds too.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 11/12/2010 14:19

outright bribery? i think we needed to wave haribo under dd1's nose to stop her spitting out antibiotics at that age.

tingelingle · 11/12/2010 14:19

We used dissoluble paracetamol in DD's milk. Doesn't have that sickly 'strawberry taste'. You can get it from pharmacies, though the tablets we had are 4 times the dose for the age she was so we had to break them into 1/4s. All this on the GP's advice by the way.

SecretSlattern · 11/12/2010 14:22

Yep, pinning tactics here as well. It's not nice, can be upsetting for everyone but if it's got to go in, it's got to go in.

onimolap · 11/12/2010 14:22

Go back (when you can - these things always happen at weekends, don't they?) and get the prescription changed to suppository version.

QOD · 11/12/2010 14:35

Suppositories! They saved my life - and quite possibly DD's!

Original poster
HeinzSight · 11/12/2010 15:23

I think I'm going to try the suppository route. I've phones our local Boots, they don't have any in stock. I'm still waiting for the out of hours doc to call back, been an hour Sad.

It truly is impossible to syringe it into her mouth, even if I get some in, she's incredibly good at spitting it out. I even tried hiding some amoxicillin in some chocolate mousse. She refused it. She's EVEN refusing chocolate. This is BAD!

She's still refusing any liquids. She hasn't had anything to drink since 10am.

She's just so so poorly at the moment and doesn't know what to do with herself.

I'm majorly stressed as DD1 has had an ear infection this week too and her eardrum PERFORATED Sad Sad Sad Sooooooo don't want DD2 ending up the same way.

OP posts:
JimmyTarbuck · 11/12/2010 15:32

Poor you and DD. Have been there and it's hell. Suppositories were brilliant and the only thing I ever managed to hide meds in was Nutella. My DD cottoned on after a few days but I did get some meds into her. I used to coat one of those 1ml syringes in Nutella too and get it in a tiny bit at a time. Lots of teeth brushing obviously!!! Good luck.

Original poster
HeinzSight · 11/12/2010 15:34

Does anyone know if you can get a penicillin suppository too?

Thanks everyone btw Smile

OP posts:
orangepoo · 11/12/2010 15:42

My DD is like this, very strong willed and knows exactly what's going on. She's 2.8. The only thing that I can add (and it's going to sound horrific, but my DD has had nasty chest infections and we haven't had any other option) is after you pin the child down and syringe the medicine in, you need to close their mouth up and put your hand over it (make sure can breathe through nose) until they have swallowed the medicine so that it cannot be spat out.

JimmyTarbuck · 11/12/2010 15:42

Don't think you can get penicillin in suppository form as far as I know. I would recommend going back to the GP to see if he/she can prescribe an alternative. I did this when I had exhausted all other possibilities. The GP was very understanding (especially as A&E staff could not get any meds into DD either). She prescribed a different antibiotic which was just 3ml a day, once a day. It was still a nightmare to get DD to take it, but it was much less stressful. Am trying to remember the name of it ... something like Zythromycin (spelling????)

acebaby · 11/12/2010 17:47

He is too young for effective bribery so hiding in chocolate mousse might be a possibility until you can get hold of suppositories. i don't like doing this for antibiotics though because it is essential that they eat all of every dose, but you will probably get some in that way.

I reckon suppositories or brute force Sad

Catitainahatita · 11/12/2010 18:57

Heinz: I'm in your position too. DD has some weird version of the whooping cough virus which is causing her temp to spike alarmingly.

Try the suppositories by all means, but be aware the she will not like them anymore: in fact they will also be very hard to get it. And if you don't get them in right, they'll pop out. Can you tell I've tried it?

What I do is: put the medicine in a dosing cup on the table. Hold DD with one arm round her body, and her legs between my knees in the most reclined position possible. I will then let her scream and when she has her mouth open pour little drops down her throat. If you put small amount in she won't be able to spit them out. It takes a while and is very unpleasent for her (and me). But she gets her meds ....

My current problem is that the new one she has to take now she has a diagnosed must be disolved in 200ml of liquid. Thus my techniqyue won't work as it only is feasible for drops and meds in militres. I've still not got a technique for that.... but am working on it.

Catitainahatita · 11/12/2010 18:59

Oh and as for the antibis.... here in Mexico in such a situation, the dr. will prescribe injected versions. Is that anyway possible in the UK?

JingleBelleDameSansMerci · 11/12/2010 19:00

I used to put DD's in ice cream, like a sauce. It was the only way to get it into her. Her father could do the pin/syringe thing but she'd just spit it out.

I tried various foods/drinks but ice cream worked the best. Perhaps because it's so cold it disguises the taste?

Original poster
HeinzSight · 11/12/2010 19:07

Just to update you all. I've now got the paracetamol suppositories. Two have gone in successfully and at last DD2 has drunk some milk. Not sure what to do about the abs, as some have suspected it isn't available in this country in suppository form.

It's hard to know what to do for the best as I think it highly unlikely that she has been getting anywhere near the full dose of her abs. Jimmy Tarbuck, that might be worth asking the doctor tomorrow/Monday - if there is an ab she can take once a day.

Again, thank you all SO SO SO much xxxx

OP posts:
Bellagio · 11/12/2010 19:17

I've had this problem, trouble is the anti b's taste foul!
We had mist success using the orange syringe that comes with Nurofen and just squirting a tiny amount in at a time, literally just like 0.5 mms at a time. When you squirt, aim for the inside of the cheek rather than diwn the throat and this will stop any coughing and spluttering,
Good luck, it is hard!

thumbplumpuddingwitch · 12/12/2010 00:22

if it's any consolation, there is some thought that there is no point giving antibiotics for an ear infection, as it only reduces the duration for a day or 2 at most, and it upsets the gut flora. That is what I was told by the paed in A&E when DS was in with the Evil Virus from Hell and also had an ear infection. But I am in Australia (English doctor though) so it might not have filtered around.

I use ginger ale to disguise meds - that works ok most of the time.

If your DD gets really dehydrated, take her to A&E - 24h of dehydration is enough for them to consider putting a saline drip up for her.

FannyLogan · 12/12/2010 11:20

The annoying thing is ABs are available in suppositories form in other countries (Spain, France iirc?) I think its just a cultural thing.

TragicallyHip · 12/12/2010 11:25

I've just had this problem.

Had to mix it in yoghurt seeing as that is sweet anyway Ds didn't notice. It's the way to go!!

TragicallyHip · 12/12/2010 11:28

Also you can mix it with Calpol

PassTheTwiglets · 12/12/2010 11:45

I used to get these slurpy fruit pouches which DD loved. I'd take some of the fruit out and then painstakingly dribble the medicine in, put the lod back on and shake it all up. Because you can put the lid on I put it back in the cupboard and then managed to convince her that it was brand new and untampered with - "look, the lid is still on, how could I possibly have put medicine in it?!"

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