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Children's health

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Original poster

How to get 2 yr old to take Flucloxallin

18 replies

angelberg · 05/03/2013 19:59

Does anyone have any tips? My DS was prescribed this by the doctor for a skin condition ... and won't take it on the spoon, or a syringe. Just keeps spitting it all up before it even gets down his throat. Even more difficult, is that it has to be taken on an empty stomach, so probably doesn't make sense to mix with and foodstuffs. Suggestions welcome!!!!

OP posts:

MajaBiene · 05/03/2013 20:00

Lie him down and syringe it little by little into his cheek. I've had to do this before but it was a 2 person job - one to pin down and one to syringe.

hazeyjane · 05/03/2013 20:02

It helps them swallow to stroke their throat, be ready with a treat afterwards, because it really does taste grim.

nellyjelly · 05/03/2013 20:04

Just had the same issue with my 2 yr old. Bribery with cho buttons. 2 before, a quick mouthful of medicine, then 2 more buttons.

Agree it is vile btw.

spanky2 · 05/03/2013 20:04

This sounds like it could get distressing for both of you. Could you see if the doctor could let you administer it injected inside a chocolate . Tbh I haven't been able to make my dcs take medicine when they didn't want to. Ds2 would not take ibruprofen . Could they let you have it in some other form ?

spanky2 · 05/03/2013 20:05

Chocolate like a strawberry cream .

MyCatIsAStupidBastard · 05/03/2013 20:06

I ended up going back and asking for a different one. It was just not going down!

PacificDogwood · 05/03/2013 20:08

It tastes vile!! My 8 year old spat it across the kitchen and I was rather cross until I tasted it myself.

IMO the kindest thing to do is to put it in a feeding syringe, have one person hold him in a firm hug with both hands held, get syringe into back/side of one cheek and give it swiftly. If you give it to the side and back of the mouth, he will not choke and he will swallow.
Cajoling/bribing/mixing in Ribena can work too, but at 2 years old he might be a bit young.

We had to give a horrid antibiotic to above mentioned DS2 from age 8 month to 3 years every fecking day and DH and I had the technique down pat. Hold, give, then comfort and treat.

He tells me now that he does not hold it against us .

Good luck!

Sirzy · 05/03/2013 20:14

I use the same method as pacific, it is a bit of an art to learn to get it just right but when you do it makes things much easier. Now its a one person job for DS as he has had so much medicine he knows its not worth fighting it!

narmada · 05/03/2013 20:20

If it is for a skin condition then could they not offer a topical ointment instead?! DS had this medicine recently and it wss a struggle to get it down and only chocolate-based bribery worked...

mamapants · 05/03/2013 20:32

I am having same problem with my 8mth old and penicilin he's just dribbling and spitting it out then clampinhg his lips shut. Will try the side and back thing but quite a job to get him to open mouth in first place he knows he doesn't like it. And dp in work all day so have to do it myself. And have to wake him up in middle of night to give him feel very mean. Sorry not helping but was about to ask for advice on same matter.

Sirzy · 05/03/2013 20:49

Mama, I have always been told unless really poorly (in hospital poorly for DS and not always then) not to wake to give medicine just to do it as soon as they wake up.

With him being so little try swaddling him to stop him being able to fight it.

Homophone · 05/03/2013 22:12

Two suggestions.

bribery with chocolate buttons
we have managed to syringe medicine into dd while she sleeps in the past

elah11 · 05/03/2013 22:28

That particular med tastes awful, I tried during 2 separate illnesses to get ds2 to take it and he point blank refused. He was aged about 8 and 10 at that stage so bribery should have worked! On both occasions I ended up going back to the doc and getting a different one and now I always tell them not to even try prescribing that one:-)

DorisIsWaiting · 05/03/2013 22:48

DD was on Flucloxacillin for over 2 years (not a typo!) She point blank refused to take the generic one and would only take the GlaxoSK (or whatever they're called now!) version. Unfortunately they appear to have stopped producing it and now all that is left is the disgusting one.

We do bribery and although sometimes they say empty stomach if you can get it down with a little food then in and working, is better than point blank refusal.

DD is still on a different antibiotic 3 times a week, she's not particularly keen but would do it for a haribo so it's now been re-branded as "sweetie medicine" she takes it no problem!

LadyWidmerpool · 05/03/2013 22:55

My daughter had this prescribedat about 16 months. One time I got some in her mouth and she was screaming so I offered water to wash the taste away. She put her hand in the cup and calmed down instantly. It worked each time and she got gradually less upset when I was giving it to her. Really bizarre.

mamapants · 06/03/2013 08:41

Thanks Sirzy, think I'll forget about waking him up for medicine even though pharmacist was keen. Luckily he wakes up of his own accord plenty of times through the night!

4oclockwakeup · 07/03/2013 12:59

we had this for my 4yo. it tastes vile. went back and another gp told me he rarely prescribes it for little ones as it tastes so bad. he gave me another type (normal banana one) so you may well be able to get another sort of anti bio

ScienceRocks · 07/03/2013 13:08

How capable is your DS? I have a medicine refuser (for anything, even calpol) and she has been taking tablets and capsules since she was two. The doctors were a bit when I asked, but she managed (I'm a pharmacist, which might help). I appreciate it isn't for everyone, but it can work.

Otherwise, using an oral syringe to squirt into the cheek (not towards the back of the mouth, he'll gag and maybe even be sick) is the best way. There are some great information sheets, podcasts and video casts on this kind of thing on the Great Ormond Street hospital website.

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