Trying to give amoxicillin to a 9 month old

[birdywillow]

Hi does anyone have tips for getting a 9 month old to take amoxicillin. Trying to give to her from a syringe isn't working she spits all most all of it out. Can you put amoxicillin into her formula or her food?

We had success syringing it into the far corner of our baby’s mouth so he didn’t get any/much on his tongue.

I have mixed it with formula in the past. Not sure if you're meant to but DS was pretty quick at finishing a bottle so it went in pretty fast.

Swaddle the baby tight, so the arms can't get out. Put the baby on the floor with its head tightly between your knees and squirt the medicine into the back of the mouth.

Tilt her back, syringe a bit it in side back of mouth and then a quick sharp blow to the face. The shock will make her swallow as a reflex. Sounds awful but it does work.

Squirt - blow etc. my sympathies...!

I’d suggest you have a taste of it yourself, it’s meant to be child friendly, but I think it’s revolting. Then have a think (and taste), and work out what you think will be best at disguising it.

Lie her down and hold her still. Squeeze a bit into the back corner of her mouth. Stick a finger in between her gums on the other side so she can’t close her lips. She won’t be able to spit so will swallow it.

Harsh but effective

I was going to suggest mixing with formula. A smaller amount than they’d normally take so that you know it’ll all get taken. I’m not medical at all but I don’t see why you couldn’t do that

I think it tastes lovely. It's the penicillin V one that tastes awful IMO.

You have to lay the baby flat swaddle if needed. Use the syringe and aim for the lower corner of the mouth in tiny increments.

If she hates the taste this won't work but if it is the syringe she doesn't like it might

Use the nipple part of her bottle (presuming she is bottle fed obviously) and put the medicine into the nipple and screw ring part attached and let her suck it out

Otherwise as others have said swaddle her up tight so she can't fight it away

Yogurt

WTF?

I don't think many people would want to strike their baby, even more so if baby is ill. Also, there's usually several doses to take? Are they meant to keep hitting their child?

Personally I'd go with swaddle, syringe to back corner of mouth and little finger in opposite side gum, so baby can't fight the medicine out.

@WhenDovesFly I think it's "blow" with air but I did read it that way first as well 😂

😂Definitely think she means a puff of air, as in blowing air in the babies 👶 face!

Oh thank goodness I read it wrong 🤣🤣

Ffs, of course a puff of air!!

Ok this has worded it a better that whacking your baby in the face! I said sharp blow because it needs to be enough to surprise them into swallowing, rather than a gentle puff!

Use the oral syringe technique and quickly blow on the child’s face after each squirt. The rushes of air from the blowing will involuntarily compel the child to swallow before spitting out the medicine.

Had the same issue with my dd recently. So frustrating. I found that sneakily giving her it when she was distracted or doing she enjoys helped. Quite often she'd be sat in the bath seat and I'd give her it then. Swaddling and trying to hold them down is awful and distressing for everyone. Failing that mix it into a yoghurt or similar but remember they have to eat it all to get the full dose.

Lol, I did not try the blow method, but it makes sense! Restrain baby, open mouth with your finger if needed, squirt the medicine to the corner of the mouth towards the back, then try the puff of air thing!
If they spit ut out, which should not happen if you squirt it to the back of the mouth, give them again as much as they spat.
It feels horrible, but alternative is hospital with intravenous and they can get really really poorly at that age.

Thanks everyone, I'll try the oral syringe technique to the corner of the mouth and hope that works. I'll also remember to blow, not whack 😂