How to get medicine into 11mo DS - aargh!

[Tiddlyompompom]

I need to give DS antibiotics 2.5ml 4x daily for Strep throat, but it's nigh impossible, help! Does anyone have any tips or tricks please?

I'm using a 5ml oral syringe as he won't take it by spoon, but he either clamps his mouth shut so tight I can't get get the liquid into his cheek, or he spits it back out, or saves it up hamster-style while I try to get him to swallow, then just dribbles it all out! It's getting very stressful for him, the last two doses I had to get DH to help me hold him still, and squirt tiny amounts in between cryings.

His temperature dropped yesterday but is back up today, and I'm worried it's because we didn't manage to get enough medicine into him today....

Also, because he dislikes this medicine which doesn't even taste that bad , he's refusing Calpol too, so I'm at a loss for what to do - it doesn't seem right to keep pinning him down and drip feeding him while he screams! (screaming is purely because he hates the meds, he calms down when I stop trying).

Thanks in advance

In a flavoured drink?

He's still breastfed and doesn't take much water even from his sippy cup, so I don't think that would work for us, but thanks for the suggestion Julia!

It's supposed to be taken on an empty stomach, but I was wondering if it might work to mix it in with some yoghurt? He'd prob eat it all, but don't know if that's unwise?

I've given ds amoxicillin in yoghurt as he hates the taste. Pharmacist said fine but then again noone said anything about an empty stomach. Surely a bit of yoghurt wouldn't hurt?

Going to try yoghurt now - fingers crossed! :)

Not hugely successful... But yoghurty medicine in the syringe was slightly better! Still half an hour to get 2.5ml in tho...

Anyone else have any ideas?

We never found any way of doing it that wasn't pin down and squirt into cheeks. At 4yo she now adores the fuss of being given medicine.

Pin down and squirt into side of cheeks - pinch nose to make swallow if need be. Horrible but necessary.

My littlest DD hates medicine but loves the paracetamol sachets. Probably not much help with anti-bs though, unless you could empty one then refill?

My best method, after 4DC is as follows

Put a cushion in the corner of the sofa.

Get medicine ready.

Lower child onto their back into the cushion.

Use one arm to pin their body down and the other to get the medicine in.

The cushion seems to give them less to push against and wedges them in, especially if it's a squishy one.

Pinning them is not nice for either party but some things just have to be done.

It's reassuring to hear others have the same trouble, thank you! It does sometimes feel like I have the only 'difficult' child, but then again I guess my friends aren't going to volunteer that their DCs are tricky to medicate too!

We had a similar nightmare with DS. He was on long term anti bs (flucloxacillin). A particular low was wrapping him in a towel and swaddling him to administer it. We tried a medicine dummy which worked until he cottoned on. Also tried dipping the syringe in something sweet before giving it and also sucking a bit in so the first taste wasn't medicine. Again, this only worked briefly.

Is it worth asking the doc/pharmacist if there is an alternative antib that tastes better? That's what eventually worked for us and he ended up willingly taking it.

Hope your DS gets better soon.

Kittie - I'm imagining your DS wrapped up like a cat, that how we used to give them their pills!
He should be done with them in a week, so if it's still this difficult on Monday I might ask the pharmacist if there are any other options.

I give dd a couple of choc buttons then tell her it's the fondant centre! She's only 12mo so she doesn't understand me but I think choc drops get her in the mood for thinking its a treat. DH pretends to take some from the syringe and makes a big deal of how yummy it is.

Tiddly you wouldn't be far wrong with that imagining! Our cat had chemo and we had a daily battle with steroid tabs... it's probably that which inspired me with DS. Happily he has no claws but he has the same iron will...