Can I accidently hurt him while giving medicine? Anxiety overload.

[Overthinker89]

Hey guys, please be gentle I'm very tired. For three weeks my DS has had reoccurring UTIS which have come back and make him really sick. I'm talking 41 degree temperature trips to a and e because he has gone blue with fever sick. So we have been given stronger antibiotics and really hope this works. Issue is he won't take them. The doctors in a and e showed me how to hold his arms and legs down to take them as he won't voluntarily. I tried on my own and with his Dad earlier and there was a real battle with him trying to sit up and wriggle away and us holding him back to get them in him. It feels really horrible and counter intuitive. I'm an overthinker and very anxious and my brain has spiralled thinking what if it's the same motion as shaken baby, what if doing it accidently hurt him, what if it traumatised him etc. Has anyone else had to hold their little ones down to give meds? Tell me I'm being an overthinking idiot. I rang the doctor and she said I just had to get it in but I'm worried I'll accidently hurt him with him writhing out of my arms. Am I being irrational? What do others do. He absolutely has to have it as he gets so sick without it. I hate my overthinking brain sometimes esp when this tired.

I had to pin mine down to give foul tasting antibiotics. It was quite distressing for us bOth but, ultimately, him not getting the antibiotics was far more dangerous to his health than pinning him down briefly to get them in him.
I hope your DS is soon better.

As above. Are you putting the syringe between his cheek and gum? That seems to help a bit.

The thing is he isn't going to get better without medication. So what choice do you have? Have you tried all the usual eg disguising it in yoghurt/squash/fruit juice/choc mousse etc? Giving reward/treat after he takes it?

If all else fails saddle him in large blanket arms and legs in. Sit stride him and syringe little bits into the cheek

The alternative for him is much worse.

It's either sticking a needle full of stinging antibiotics into his muscles several times a day or having to cannulate him (always a struggle with small children) and stay in hospital whilst he has them intravenously for several days.

This is necessary, horrible but necessary.

It does work better with two people - one to hold and one to aim for the side of the cheek.

All of the above. When we have to somewhat withstrain children for anaesthetics wrapping them in a big blanket is helpful as stops them having free movement of their arms

How old is he? We had to do this , you have to be cruel to be kind. Firm holding won't hurt him or scar him. If he's a little older you could mix with something like coke or we used to put character stickers on spoons . You just have to do it

Oh I should say he is 20 months so a toddler! Thanks all! This is really helping my very tired, upset brain. It's horrible seeing them with such a high temperature!

It's important to understand that the temperature is the body trying to help them fight off the bacteria - it is your friend not the enemy.

They do of course look awful when they are hot - but again this is so they stop doing any activity, stop eating and sleep, thus allowing the body to concentrate all it's energy on fighting the infection.

We did this lots with our son at a similar age and it never caused him any trauma 😂 so much easier when they can pop a paracetamol x

I’ve had to do this with my 3 year old several times due to chronic ear infections.
I used to pin her between my legs so she couldn’t get away and then I had a hand to hold her head and one to squirt the antibiotics in.
She is completely not traumatised by it all, in fact, she relishes a dose of antibiotics, she greets the bottles with an ‘ooh, delicious!’ when I get it out the fridge!
Like others have said this is a needs must, the alternatives are worse, I liken it to teeth brushing, they’ve gotta have stuff that they don’t like sometimes as it’s the safest thing to do.

Sounds so tough op, I'm sorry.

Can you try and swaddle him?

You could do it in a way that he’s on your lap relaxing and playing with his face/lips and then dad can just quickly squirt it in whilst he’s distracted.

If he’s eating solids you could also try feeding him tasty yoghurts or ice cream on a spoon and then doing one with the medicine on.

As PP have said, this 2 seconds of being uncomfortable is much better than him being poorly.

We’ve all had to do this and I promise our kids have never been harmed mentally or physically from it.

I was also going to say swaddling. This is what we had to do when my poor daughter used to need an NG tube. Absolutely traumatising but you've got to do these things bevaude the alternative is worse.

My Mum used to pin me down on the sofa whilst my Grandad held my nose so I opened my mouth and one of would put the medicine in and then clamp my mouth shut until I swallowed it.
This used to happen regularly until I was about 5 but I barely remember it and used to find the story funny when I was a bit older, so please try not to worry about having to hold down.

My dd had recurring tonsillitis and ear infections. I had to pin her down every single time. She is 8 now, no trauma from this and even takes medicine really well! I worried myself sick at the time and felt like a horrendous mother but she needed the meds and it was the only way. How you are feeling is normal, you are doing the right thing and it does get easier.
Hope your DS feels better soon x

My doctor always told me to mix them in a drink like juice or chocolate milkshake but don't make it big I used to make a little bottle of juice and he would drink them. I still do it now when my 5 year old is poorly I make him a chocolate milkshake strong and he drinks them has no clue I do it !! Choose ur battles x