Baby won't take omeperozole - any ideas???

[Poppyseed87]

Hi all,

Any help / advice would be greatfully received on this one. My baby was premature and suffers with terrible reflux. She's 3 months old but is really like a newborn and is currently 1 week corrected age. She's on Omeprazole suspension and I'm struggling to get her to take the daily dose. I've tried distracting her and syringing directly but she gets so upset by the taste she usually spits it out and then chokes. I've tried mixing 2ml at a time in 20ml of breast milk but she just keeps spitting it out.

Does anyone know if u can get it flavoured or mix it with anything that might hide the taste?? I tried it myself yesterday and it tastes like salty sick, it really is gross so I don't blame her for spitting it out!!

Hi have you tried putting the syringe into her cheek a little at a time so it goes down slower ? Our baby son used to choke when having it until a nurse showed us to put it into her cheek a little at a time

Yeah I have tried that, if you get a tiny little smidge of it on her lip or tongue then she just spits it all out. It's driving me mad because I know she's going to suffer if she doesn't take it.

I've read online that some people mix it with juice but I'm not sure whether that's an option as she's obviously not weaning yet.

I know when mine was prescribed omeprazole the pediatrician at a check up said it has to be given on its own . This was after I had been mixing it into his milk for 2 weeks

We used to use the hospital chemist to get his omeprazole and that's when he used to gag taking it and screamed . OH tasted it and he saod same as you tastes awful no wonder he won't take it ! The color was also a greyish.
But then we swapped to a Lloyd's based in sainsburys , you could even smell it was different had a more sweeter smell the colour was bright white aswell and since then along with putting it in his cheek he takes it brilliantly . I don't know if you try swapping chemistry as they all have different suppliers ?
We also split his full dose into 3 . Morning , lunch , night and found he settled a lot better on that.
Hope this helps op

My son was given omeprazole at 11 weeks and we struggled to get him to take it and he would gag it back up.. after a small fight he got prescribed esomeprazole (sp?) its a sachet and it dissolves into water and he managed to take much much better

Hey - I’m in NZ and even though my daughter was weeks old I was told use the capsules, break them open and drop the granules in puréed pear...a teeny tiny amount she loved it !

Could you maybe be swapped to lanzoprazole? It is the same type of medication and is a very tiny cherry tasting tablets that dissolves in half a teaspoon of water

Ah so sorry to hear about this OP. It's brought it all back to me as DS was almost 3 months premature and also suffered with horrible reflux. I didn't get hold of omeprazole until he was a couple of months older than your lo though.

We mixed it with milk and somehow got it down him (sometimes only a little went in). Honestly, getting the omeprazole into him was the most important thing in my life for the whole of last summer although it's a distant memory now. He was mixed fed and we used to dissolve it then combine with a little formula so it was quite creamy. Eventually more started going in than not. Can you ask your hospital for advice on what you can mix it with, given her age?

Do persevere as it was a miracle for us and changed him from a poor little screaming ball of rage to a happy cherub.

Ah I remember this well - same situation too.
We used to squirt in the cheek and then blow in our LOs face - sounds shitty but it makes them swallow - the NICU showed us that one and that was the best tip

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've asked about having it prescribed in another form and I've been told no basically. I asked the pharmacy if it could be sweetened and they've requested it of head office so we will see. I think the answer will be no but it's worth asking.

I will give that trick a go but I find that as soon as the syringe touches her lip she knows what it is and purses her lips tightly!

The community nurses have told me I can't mix it anything else as she's not yet old enough.

It is stressing me out because her relfux is so bad she's on home oxygen to support her breathing - she holds her breath when it's bad and it wears her out basically. She's had a few really nasty choking episodes and I'm just watching her like a hawk all of the time. I just want to get this medication down her as I kno how bad things will be if she doesn't have it.

What about losec mups tablets? They are soluble omeprazole tablets that you mix with water yourself.

I had similar problems with my Ds. Used to have to syringe little bits at a time. Placing a dummy in his mouth after each bit seemed to help it stay in his mouth. It is horrible seeing them cry but at least you know it's making them better in the long run.

It can be mixed with juice or purée - even if they are “too young”. It’s the method advised but medicines for children and the makers. My consultant and dietitian and NICU all confirmed it, and the Dietitian even contacted the professional enquiry line while I was in the room and they too confirmed it.

It’s frustrating that so many professionals don’t actually do their research - 30 seconds on the internet gets the official advice.

10 seconds later...

www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk/omeprazole-gastro-oesophageal-reflux-disease-gord

I mixed it with fresh apple juice for my DD. It wasn't ideal but it was the only way she'd take it and the difference it made to her quality of life was enough of a trade off. She's now on ranitidine which tastes nicer!

Tried the blowing on her face trick and she just sicks it all back up straight away

Ah that's interesting! I think I'll give it a go then with a bit of juice! Just about willing to give anything a go at the moment.

It makes me feel quite annoyed how all of the medical professionals brush it off and breezily say she will grow out of it but I just find dealing with it at the moment is horrendous! She regularly wakes me up coughing and choking and I have to hold her across my leg and pat her back to help her clear her it out. It's so stressful but it's nice to get advice from others, so thank you everyone x