Can I mix pencillin with food/drink

[Useruser222]

My 6 year old has strep throat and been given penicillin liquid. She's had her first dose but she was crying so much and gagging a lot of it came back out. The label says it has to be taken on an empty stomach or 1 hour before food. She's due another dose soon and I'm wondering if I can mix it in a drink or some yoghurt but also worried it could stop the medicine working properly. I did Google it but got some conflicting results so looking for some advice from anyone who has been in the same situation. Thanks

you can, however she would have to eat/drink all of whatever you put it in to get an effective dose so you know she’s getting it all or most at least. Penicillin v has a nasty aftertaste so it would need something to wash it away too. It’s rubbish that they taste so bad, I hope you find something she’ll tolerate it in.

She's 6. She really should know better. But then, I'm a horrible mum, who forced my child to take meds by holding his face so he swallows his meds since he was a baby.
By the time he was 6, he took it even he didn't want to, when I explained the reason why he has to take the meds, and the consequences of not taking it. Have you tried that?

Yes I mixed it in with yoghurt as my 2 year old is always guaranteed to eat it. My doctor said absolutely you can mix it with food. As long as your child is guaranteed to eat it all then there's no issues. X

In my experience it doesn't help. It's one of those flavours that will not be disguised no matter what you mix it with.

Bribery or swap it for tablets. My DD got given a LOT of chocolate and ice cream last time she needed penicillin.

Yes I have explained she could end up very unwell and have to got to hospital if she doesn't take her medicine. She's 6 she's crying because she's unwell, the medicine tastes horrible and she can't exactly control her gag reflex. I know I can't control mine when I taste something I don't like. She's not doing it to be a brat she physically can't stop herself from almost being sick. I did try squirting it to the back of the throat but thats when the choking started. She's very rarely unwell too so has only ever had to take Calpol or ibuprofen on the odd occasion.

Thanks everyone for the advice I'm going to put some in a small yoghurt for her next dose as I know she'll manage to eat all of that.

I remember a friend saying the same that her son could taste it when she tried to mix it. Bribery wouldn't even work as she wants to take the medicine as I've explained to her she could end up really unwell if she doesn't but it's like a physical reaction. I am similar to her I have an awful gag reflex I just have to think of something that repulses me and I throw up.

Years ago penrecillin was a horrid tasting germolene pink syrup. I used to get a spoonful of sugar after a dose.

Just ask the chemist to make up same prescription in a different flavour. They don’t mind. There is usually a flavour that the child can tolerate.

@grapehyacinthisactuallyblue I did something similar, as did a colleague. It was that or end up in hospital having a cannula stuck in his hand for IV antibiotics.

Sorry I have another question I didn't even think to ask the doctor about this. She had her first dose just before 6pm so now I'm unsure when to give her the next dose. I know it should be given 4 times a day but she'll be going to bed soon so have I messed up since she's only having 2 doses today? I know I sound like a complete idiot this is the first time any of my children have had to take antibiotics or anything.

Penicillin is a particularly disgusting medicine and cannot be disguised. How about letting her choose her favourite sweets ,ice cream etc and letting her have one or spoonful straight after she has swallowed. It really will not have any consequences and at least she has then had the dose .
I personally would never force because it will be counterproductive when she throws it all back up again!

no you shouldn’t mix it, especially not with yogurt, the warning to take on an empty stomach is there for a reason because it’s not absorbed properly with food. You shouldn’t squirt down the throat nbut you could try squirting it into her cheek. I’d give it another go and call the doctor in the morning if she doesn’t manage to keep it down. The dosing should be every 6 hours,

Thank you both. I did try giving her something to take taste away inbetween to take the taste away but that didn't help. She just kept gagging and trying to stop herself from throwing up. I'll try squirting it into her cheek next time isntead of her throat. I hadn't realised it was 6 hours I've totally messaged up now. She wasn't diagnosed and given antibiotics until just after 5pm so I gave her the first dose as soon as we were home so I will have to wake her up to take the next lot.

That last post has many mistakes and makes me sound even more stupid now 😂

she probably has a very sore throat.
try giving her calpol half an hour before giving the antibiotic.

Can you get a strong tasting drink something she loves. Swallow the meds then straight onto a big gulp of the drink? That worked for one of mine.

Don't worry about the empty stomach thing that's only for optimal absorption.

The other thing is to ask for tablets if you think she could manage them. It might depend on her gag reflex! Penicillin isn't a large tablet

Do not mix with yogurt or anything that has milk. Milk stops the absorption.

Ok yoghurts out the window. Orange squash? Just a small shot sized amount so it's quicker for her to drink?

Yes I would use squash. Good luck and hope she is better soon

Thank you so much. Appreciate everyone's help.

If all else fails see if you can get the same medicine in capsule form. The last time my toddler had amoxycillin there was a shortage of the liquid and they gave me the capsules which can be opened up and the powder inside mixed with food. Way easier to get into him than the liquid as the powder is tasteless (can’t say this is the case for all varieties of penicillin though)

It tastes foul! I think if you mix it it can affect absorption and is nearly impossible to disguise anyway.

Lots of positive reinforcement helped us at this age "this takes yucky but will make you better - you are so brave" ..... etc. also a big glass of water and then sucking on a haribo and spitting it out after each dose to take the taste away.

There isn't always an alternative antibiotic - they don't come in different flavours. I think most Penicillin has a kind of bitter mouldy taste that lingers x

This really isn’t a thing. The powders come pre-flavoured in a sealed bottle for water to be added.

It’s fine to mix it with a small amount of anything that might mask the taste as long as you don’t try to store it. https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-solid-oral-dosage-form-antibiotics-in-children/

The 4x a day isn’t every 6hrs

”Penicillin V is usually given four times a day. This is usually first thing in the morning (before breakfast), at about midday (before lunch), late in the afternoon (before tea) and at bedtime. Ideally, these times should be at least 3 hours apart.”

Oh, well I may be out of date but when my autistic DC couldn’t stomach the liquid penicillin, I told the chemist and they made me a new bottle that was banana flavour? That worked.

They said if it didn’t work, can always ask GP to prescribe as an oral tablet or capsule where you can mix it in with a tiny bit of food if they can’t keep it down (vomiting it back up due to gag reflex).