Refusal to swallow antibiotics

[Kiki02]

Hey all!

I’m looking for some advice please 🙏

My 3 year old is on antibiotics & a particular one but whenever he has a medicine he doesn’t like he gags/makes himself vomit.

He is quite poorly so really needs the antibiotics & the doctor said there aren’t many others he can have firstly because we’ve tried a few but also because the last time he had penicillin he closely got Erythema Multiforme so they don’t know it that contributed.

I’ve tried so many different techniques & bribes at this point (I’m kid magazined out!) so would love some suggestions or experiences other have experienced.

I should say he’s sensitive to smell & has a weak gag reflex in normal life too!

Thank you!

My son was in hospital a little while ago and had to have a disgusting antibiotic that was white and gritty - shudder! We had a box of apple juice at all times so quickly did a/b then straw straight in to drink apple juice and take the taste away. He was older though at 6, so could reason a bit more. Hope that might help! Good luck Xxx

I’m currently adding it to a strong cordial drink for an older DC.

If he's sensitive to smell, how about holding something he likes the smell of under his nose (or get him to hold it) while you syringe the AB towards the back of his cheek. Like people are using those dreadful AirUp bottles to make water seem flavoured when it's not (it has an air freshener type scent system that your nose picks up and gives the impression the water is flavoured).

I don't know if he's eating sweets yet at 3 but if he is, a strongly flavoured sweet held under his nose and then eaten straight afterwards might be worth a try.

Could he firstly have something nice to drink or eat to coat his mouth then have the antibiotic and then the same nice thing straight after?

The only way I got them in DD when she was small (spat it out or vomited after a complete meltdown) was to mix with jam, started with far more jam than medicine and by the end of the course had it at a 50/50 ratio - she was quite disappointed at the loss of jam 3 times a day for a while!

I cannot recommend these enough. DIY yogurt pouches. Put his favourite yogurt in each pouch with a dose. He can't see the inside either so if it goes a sunny colour then they don't see.

These have saved me many times when medicines won't go down with DD!

I always mix antibiotics with a Petit Filous-type yoghurt - if you use a high yoghurt:medicine ratio they'll usually swallow it down.

Can you try pots of mouse, yogurt, jelly, custard or whatever he prefers.

Wow thank you all so much!!!

I’m going to try everything because at this point I’m desperate.

I’ve no idea why someone hasn’t made a nice flavour or good way to help kids.

@herbygarden Ahhhh that’s the one!! White & bitty 🤦🏼‍♀️