Toddler WILL NOT swallow Antibiotics PLEASE help

[Jars11]

I know there are so many threads on this but I haven’t read anything that has managed to help me. My son is 18 months old and we are having to give him antibiotics for the first time since he was a little baby, it’s penicillin, and it for Strep throat so have to give it to him four times a day for 10 days! It is literally impossible to get much down him, I’ve tried everything, mixing with food drink, dummy dispencer, and the only thing sort of working is a savage syringe to the back of the mouth whilst restraining but even this isn’t really working, I would say more than half is dripping out as he screams. I am at my wits end, it’s day 2 and i just can’t do it anymore we’re both so miserable. Please please does anyone have any other miraculous tactic that works. I’ve ran out of ideas. And the will to live.

That would not work with my ds TopBitch it would just cause more distress and he would spit it out.

Have you mixed it with vanilla ice cream? This was the inky thing that worked for us. The cold disguised the taste - we told her it was strawberry

My DD wouldn't take antibiotic liquid at all, similar to you. We said if she could take the tablets she'd never have to have the liquid again. She wanted to try, so we practiced with jelly beans - one jelly bean and a big gulp of juice to get it down - and then asked the GP for the tablets instead. She took them absolutely no problem. She was about 24mo so a little older than yours but maybe worth a go?

When mine wouldn't take it I'd just fire it in while he screamed accepted that some wouldn't go in then gave him a magic star. Give the bribe every time and they will get the idea. He soon learnt the magic star was coming and would hold his hand out ready! Then I found that Grandad could get him to take it with no fuss at all

Thanks guys. Sweet stuff doesn’t work because he’s one of those kids that hate juice and dessert and mushy stuff in general. Biscuits and crisps are more his thing. He hates calpol. I have to do force it down too. I tried holding his nose shut for the last dose of today and maybe a little more went in, i’m not sure. I have been blowing in his face too, tbh i’m not getting upset at being horrible in doing this because i know it just needs to be done, i’m upset that despite all the misery so much is wasted being spat out and i’m getting stressed that he won’t get better. I know i sound like a total wuss but it’s really getting to me.

peachrose you squirt and blow very very quickly, they don't have time to spit much out.

It's not nice to do though.

My dd was exactly the same. Remember tearing my hair out over it when she had chest infection. In the end used brute force but even that got less than half a dose down especially when I was on my own. I carried on trying with the course of antibiotics till it was all gone (most of it spat out on me) and figured if she didn’t get better because I couldn’t get it into her I’d go back and ask for injections or something else - it must be a really common problem 😐 she did get better tho which made me wonder whether they ‘over prescribe’ knowing a toddler will swallow less than half?

God luck and try not to stress out too much: if she doesn’t seem to be getting better take her back to GP and see what else they can suggest..,

I feel your pain, my dc is same age and he’s currently refusing antibiotics. He takes calpol etc fine but I can not get this stuff into him. Even the syringe into cheek didn’t work he used his tongue to push it all back out. I’ve tasted it and it’s disgusting & so bitter. When I’ve hidden it in food/drink the most he’s had is half.

It’s hard when they don’t understand bribery/common sense.

That’s a comforting comment pip, thank you x

Does he watch TV? I'm all for kids but watching TV but for us super simple songs on YouTube or in the night garden and can distract ds successfully enough to get him to take calpol ( While also swaddled or cuddled sitting on my knee with his head against my chest and stroking his cheek whole dh slowly drips it in the side of his cheek)

My DD was 4 when we got penicillin and it was a nightmare.

We did it in 1ml doses, because 5ml got spat back out. I think we even did 0.5ml to begin with.

As others have said, in the cheek, at the back of the mouth. There isn't enough in 0.5ml to really spit. Then bribery afterwards with whatever they want.

After a day or so I could marginally increase the dose which made it easier.

Wrap him like a cat, including arms.

Hold his nose, squirt meds in mouth. Hold mouth shut.

As other posters have said, wrap arms and legs or get a second person to assist to prevent limb flailing,
Hold them in the rocking baby position, head back, syringe a bit into cheek and blow in their face. The blowing seems to startle them into swallowing. Repeat until the string is empty, usually takes 3 goes.
If they manage to spit any out, scrape it back in with the side of the syringe.
It's not completely fallible but it works pretty well.
Good luck, it really is horrible for everyone but probably worse for you.

Have you tried it? If it's disgusting please don't force it down. I've been here many times as my dd has a chronic condition and forcing her caused food aversion.
Often you can switch types, or even brands for a different one. Cheap ones are horrible. Different pharmacies stock different ones.
I was once given one so disgusting that even mixed with a spoon of sugar it made me wretch. Rang up and gp did another prescription which I took to boots who purchase slightly better brands.
I put a large chocolate button on table and explain that it's for when done. I had to regain her trust after the disgusting one but it worked.
However, if I was going to have to force it down like described above, it rather know that it's not rancid first.

@Jars11, and the poster that called you wet is not very helpful.

Does he take a bottle? The only thing that works for my DD is putting it in a bottle teat - ideally mixed with milk in our case. It bypasses the tastebuds.

Have u tried encouraging him to do it himself ? my 15 month old likes to hold the syringe and the bottle lid I squeeze syringe as he's trying to put Lid on the bottle , he's usually so engrossed n getting lid on he swallows
without realising,. X

Thx cottonsock, i did taste it yes to see what i was working with, it’s horrible. I actually did call up the gp yesterday to ask if there was anything else we could try and she flat out said no. So. I went and bought some berry smoothies as i know they taste quite strong and usually this might work to mix in, but he’s so off his off, refusing pretty much everything other than a few raspberries and biscuits. And he’s breastfed, has refused every milk/formula i’ve brought to the table [crying]

I've not read the other replies, my lo has these a few weeks ago.

We ended up mixing with her weetabix for breakfast and supper and putting a tiny bit of sugar on (we let her see the sugar going on) and mixed it and she ate it all up.

The other times we tried with orange juice, yoghurts or wee custard pots.

Sometimes a hit or a miss.

Good luck it's bloody difficult and they are vile.

I should say for her second dose she was given the orange coloured ones and took them no bother

Have they given you the sugar free? They taste even worse.
I'm very thankful for my understanding gp.

Are you completely sure he is not allergic? Someone I know really had to force their (older) DD to take penicillin and she was allergic as it turned out. Just a thought.

Sugar free yes :( would it help if i added sugar to it?

He doesn’t get rashy or anything? How do i know if he is allergic?

My dd has had so many antibiotics, before then she wouldn't even swallow Calpol. I just held her in my arms with her head tucked into my arm and chest so she couldn't move and just really distracted her and made so much fuss when she did it. I used to it one ml at a time (with a syringe) she just got used to it, I think once they start getting the benefit of the antibiotic it gets easier, they seem to know. Just keep going you do need to be quite brutal.

Also you don't need to get the medicine to the back of the mouth just slip the syringe in the side of his mouth and have his head tilted back. Chemist can give you a small syringe which is easier to get in than Calpol syringe