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Please help - medicine administering - so traumatic for 2 year old DD

3 replies

HorridCold · 18/07/2011 10:58

Hi All,

I've messaged about this before and it's not got any better. Well, actually it has, but the antibiotic bit is the problem.

So, DD has another ear infection, she's getting them regularly now, the last one was only 2 months ago. Because of the trauma involved with giving her medicine (it's taken a good 18 months for her to be OK taking Calpol - as long as it's not the Sugarfree one...), the GP agreed to give a really strong antibiotic which is to be taken just once a day, for 3 days (and only 2.5ml).

But because it's so strong, it tastes foul!!! No way we would even risk a spoon so we're going down the syringe route. But it's so bad now that she's trying to make herself sick before she even takes it and succeeds in bringing back at least half of it after we've managed to force it down her.

I now have to leave the room and let DH manage it on his own. I know that clearly makes me a crap Mum but I can't bear to see her so upset and I don't want her to see that it effects me so much so I brightly say 'I'm just getting you some milk' and I go down the garden and cry.

Can anyone suggest ANYTHING at all to ease this?

She doesn't have a sweet tooth so we're really struggling. We've tried it in drinks, yoghurt, jam anything to try and mask it but nothing works. We now have to put the syringe so far to the back of her mouth to try and avoid none of it touching her taste buds.

It's so awful that I'm crying just thinking about it now. Luckily she's tiny for her age so is at the minimum weight that the 2.5ml dose can be given so the GP has said that even if we only get half into her, it will still be enough. Luckily she's with the CM today so I know she'll be having fun and enjoying herself but DH will give her the 2nd dose of the 3 this evening and I already feel sick with worry about it. Can anybody help?

On a positive note, she did take her Calpol totally fine this morning.

One desperate Mum.

OP posts:
Turkelton · 18/07/2011 21:09

I feel you pain Horridcold :( My dd aged 22 months constantly has tonsillitis and also hates taking antibiotics :( She will take calpol and nurofen off a spoon for us but runs when she see's me taking out that dreaded antibiotic bottle :(

What has been working for us recently is in between courses of antibiotics I've started randomly giving her a little syringe full of a nice flavored yogurt the same color as the antibiotic so she doesn't get as anxious when she see's me coming with a syringe, she has just finished a course today and was definitely easier to dose this time. As the antibiotics and the yogurt were the same in color she opened her mouth and swallowed before she even realized what it was. Also another thing I have started doing and she loves is giving her "cuddiiile" (her name for her teddy bear) a dose every time as well, he puts up a fuss which she finds hilarious

Another thing maybe would be to see will your gp give you a referral to an ent

Hope things improve for you soon

Debbie x

delusionsofadequacy · 20/07/2011 19:35

Have you tried applesuace? or if she likes savoury food maybe mash or cream cheese? another option is asking for tablets or capsules and crushing/ emptying the contents ( this means the medicine is being used off licence so the GP may be reluctant) Not sure how old your DD is but if she is school age you may even be able to teach her how to take tablets. Also (grasping at straws) have you tried a reward chart? hope something works for you this must be a terrible situation to be in.

cookielove · 21/07/2011 17:34

Have you tried baked beans, these are usually strong enough to mask the taste and the colour!! I know i sound barmy but it does work Smile

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