How do you get a 2 year old to take medicine?

[socialhandgrenade]

My DS is 2.3 yrs old and is hardly ever poorly, which is why I don't really have a clue what to do. He is teething, has a runny nose, feels hot and has barely eaten or drunk (not even fruit shoots ffs) for the last couple of days. He wouldn't take calpol from a spoon yesterday, pushed it away with his hands and when I held his arms he butted the spoon with his head. I have tried a syringe type dispenser today and succeeded in getting the calpol in his mouth but he spat it out. My mum has suggested wrapping himin a towel, so he can't move his arms and laying him on the floor on his back with his head gripped between my knees. I'm just not sure I can bring myself to do that though, but I am wondering how other people manage and if this is what has to be done?

Is it worth it? That's the first question I ask with my medicine refuser. Is he in pain?

If he's teething can you try infant bonjela or ice lollies to cool his mouth (would help with hydration too).

Is he hydrated? Will he take sips of drink or try ice lollies as suggested above. How hot is he? Is he responding normally?

You can try hiding it in a drink he really, really likes but again if he's not drinking... is his throat sore by any chance if he's refusing food AND drink? Could be a throat infection/tonsillitis.

Sorry, thinking out loud.

You have my sympathy - DD2 (3) is also a medicine refuser, and I tend to work on the basis that if she is well enough to refuse forcefully, she's probably well enough not to need the medicine IYSWIM!

I would not try the wrapping in a towel thing - more likely to create a negative association for the future. If it's a medicine he REALLY needs to take, I would bribe with chocolate buttons, but other than that, I probably wouldn't worry too much.

Does he have a temp? Have you tried putting a dose in a little bit of diluting juice and giving him that?

Frankly unless he is distressed or temp high I wouldn't bother with pain relief if it's such a struggle.

Will he drink warm milk with honey? Or ice cream might be nice for sore mouth/throat.

You could try pretending to take the calpol and let him think it is the most delicious thing ever - then refuse him it if he asks, finally 'give in' and let him have it.

Or let him give teddy some first...

I always used to syringe calpol in the side of their mouth and shove a choc button in at the same time. They both love the taste of calpol, its the antibiotics I used to have problems with.

I think your mum has him confused with a cat! I definitely wouldn't try the towel thing, he'll still try to spit it out, and you will both have a really horrible experience.

The GP told me to give DS whatever he would eat or drink when he was poorly. The important thing is to keep him hydrated. Will he eat a bit of ice-cream? Or a (warm) hot chocolate? Warm diluted orange juice?

For teething with 21mo DS, we use Mam teething sticks, which we smear teething gel onto, and DS applies it himself. Too many bitten fingers otherwise!

Is there some way you could put calpol in a tiny cup-type container, for him to drink himself? DS seems to like anything which is a chance for him to be more independent.

If he lives off junk for a few days, it won't hurt. Hope he feels much better soon.

If his temperature gets too high, I would force the calpol into him.

If he is just generally not feeling well/runny nose etc, I would just not give the calpol.

My DD is a medicine refuser, aged 2.8 and it is a question of deciding whether the medicine is totally necessary. Things that I consider necessary are antibiotics and also paracetamol (calpol) to control a temperature if it is high/I consider it dangerous. If it's necessary, then you get it in somehow - personally I syringe it into her mouth (getting DH to hold her down) and then put my hand over her mouth to prevent her spitting it out. It sounds horrible, but I do it so that she doesn't become seriously ill. If she is prepared to drink juice, I put the calpol into the juice in preference to holding her down obviously.

another one saying if he doesnt 100% need it hold off BUT if he does then we have a few tricks, my daughter has epilepsy and therefore has to have medication twice daily.

she started at 18 months and despite liking her medicine has been through periods of refusing to take it.

slowly squirting it to the side with a syringe has been known to work, promising a treat after the medicine, colouring or a sweet whatever you think may work. and as a last resort we have cuddled her in so she cant move and made her take it, in small squirts still so that if some is spat out then at least some of the dose goes in. not a fun option and probably not something i would do for calpol but it does and has worked for us with dds epilepsy meds.

hope little one is better soon

Thankyou all for your advice. I do agree that if he is well enough to fight me, then he prob doesn't need it. The ice cream and lollies are a really good idea. He's now trying to grab my phone so hopefully he's on the mend. Thank you all again.

The other thing is to try alternatives to Calpol - my DCs hate it for some reason, but love the Tesco own-brand cherry flavoured magenta coloured one . And only from a syringe. I think the prescription one is orange flavour, and Boots do a different flavour again. The things we have to do, eh?

so tricky isn't it - other people's children seem to see calpol as a treat and even ask for it!

our 2 did seem to take it better off a syringe (possibly with a chocolate button/sweetie on hand to tkae th taste away straight afterwards?)

the force feeding thing doesn't work and only gets everyone very cross and upset...

if all else fails, then when they were small we did use the suppositories? quite easy to do if they are still in nappies and used to having bum cleaned?

And this is why I love Mumsnet - really good ideas all of them. Thanks everyone, at least I've got some more strategies to try now if he does get worse.

DS was a medicine refuser, so we have constructed a scenario whereby when he is poorly either DH or I 'ring' Dr Brown Bear from Peppa Pig and Dr Brown Bear says that DS must have his medicine.

It works like a dream, every time. Much better than wrestling.

X-posted with Ali - love the pretend phonecall idea, he wouldn't quite get it yet, but I'm saving it for later.