Urgent medicine help

[HormonalHetty]

My child is 4 and we've found out today they have really severe tonsillitis. They are in so much pain it's been impossible to get calpol/Nurofen and antibiotics in. They are usually pretty good at taking medicines. They have been given a ten day course in case it's step a, and they have to take the doses.
I have tried everything. It can't be taken with food ( they can't swallow anyway) we've tried holding down with a syringe and forcing it in ( which I can't stand and they are gurgling and spitting it back out) hiding in juice etc I'm panicking because they are very poorly.
Has anyone been in this predicament, what has happened? Is there a plan b for this situation. The Dr just said they HAVE to take it, put syringe down side off cheek but it's not working!

I mixed the medicine in a small shot glass of Coca Cola and it worked every time, even when DD was incredibly ill. Coke is the forbidden treat and she would do anything for it.

Another variation is to smash up ice cubes, fill some inside a tiny cup and add a drink of choice as a "slushie". This tends to work with stomach bugs where drinking is tricky but eating ice chips with flavour works. The ice also disguises the taste of the medicine.

Another solution is just pure bribery. Get some cheap toys, show it to them and say they have it if they drink the medicine. Those brightly coloured blind box balls usually worked well because of the mystery element. I used to keep a few in the cupboard for midnight emergencies (eg high fever or croup and refusing to calm down and take medicine).

Thanks so much for replying. I've done the shot glass but had a small amount of fruit juice ( they don't like fizzy) it worked for first dose but not the second. I also wasn't sure if this would water the anti biotics down a bit?
I will keep trying.

Definitely no food? I normally use an Ella’s fruity pouch and just dropper it in before handing it to them to slurp out of the packet. But that might be too much like food.

Have you tried giving it on a spoon and letting them feed themselves? I know it seems unlikely but they can be perverse little creatures.

I fought for a different AB and got one that was once a day for 3 days. Had the exact same situation as you. Push for that! Then I was able to hide it in a spoon of (eg) Nutella. Pretty sure it was only 2.5 or 5ml doses as well but I can't remember the name of it unfortunately. Good luck!

Also how 4 are they? If nearly 5 is there any way of reasoning?

Is it one of the ones that tastes OK or the one that's vile?

If it tastes ok then have the dose measured out then get them to have just a lick off of a spoon or a tiny bit in a syringe so it's not a big swallow and repeat
If it takes 30 minutes to get the whole dose down its better than them not having it

Our GP recommended a sweet or piece of chocolate afterwards to take the taste away, even with antibiotics that need an empty stomach.

You need to use a syringe to get it to the back corner of the cheek where they have no option but to swallow. Vast experience of tonsillitis taught me that at the beginning, until they are feeling better enough to be rational, you have to swaddle them in a large bath sheet, tip child back slightly, use a syringe and aim for the back pouch of the cheek. It feels brutal but it does work.

The food rules go out the window with young children and antibiotics - there is literally no way of making sure it's an hour before or 2 hours after food when they're little and still having food more frequently than just meals.

My nurse friend says they keep vimto on the ward just to hide one particular antibiotic in because it's bike and the only thing that hides the taste.

Choc button rewards are great too.

It hurts to swallow, are they dribbling saliva rather than swallowing? At this point we hit paracetomol suppositories to help the pain so they could take the meds. Tbh even of they aren't dribbling saliva, I'd be getting suppositorie meds in. They aren't gonna swallow if it's like downing glass.

Also try to give frozen anything, ice lollies, frubes, cubes, whatever to numb the throat beforehand. It can make it easier.

It's not much help tonight but is there any chance you could persuade the GP to give you a prescription for paracetamol suppositories tomorrow? They are rarely prescribed in the UK but I believe quite common elsewhere in Europe. They were a godsend for my DD who used to suffer terribly with a raging temperature alongside every vomiting bug but couldn't keep Calpol down. It might just take the edge off the pain enough for you to get the Nurofen and ABs in.

@LucyLocketLovesPollyPocket Cross post!

Dd2 had a series of horrible bouts of tonsillitis at a similar age (plus scarlet fever and a broken leg that needed surgery. Fun times!).
We found that difflam spray took away enough of the pain to allow her to swallow.

Painkillers had to be calpol. The generic ones are even more horrible.

ABs were always a problem. Lots of bribery and a bit of force. We got her used to swallowing capsules as early as we could.

Good luck!

Not what you want to hear but plan b for us was 5 days antibtiocs in hospital in IV, then the rest of them were done as outpatient via injection as he ripped the cannula out so many times 😩 good luck you have my sympathies ❤️❤️

Thank you so much all

It is the 4x per day no food penicillin. I've never known it this hard to get meds in, right at the time when they really need them.

My son has been basically holding saliva in his mouth and spitting in a bowl all day it's so painful.
It's my first experience of tonsillitis, luckily myself and older children have not had it. It's awful 😢
I will try the wrapping in a sheet for next dose and get hold of gp hopefully first thing. The suppositories sound good option.

Thanks again for being so helpful all

Thank you

I did think this was going to be the case.

Normally I think I could talk him into taking them, he's just not having it whilst feeling so poorly and scared.

If he is not swallowing his saliva you need to get urgent medical care

Yes we had this , had to resort to all sorts. Some of the things we tried:

• ok we will have to take you to the doctor for him to do it
• we taped a fireman Sam sticker on a medicine spoon (that did work for us)
• got Grandma to come and help - also worked - suspect as she wasn't so stressed
• tv/ipad distraction

Ultimately you need as calm as situation as possible. But if your struggling you may need to go back to GP - not sure what they will do but it needs treating

OP your update makes it sound so severe that he likely needs hospital treatment. If he can't swallow saliva I'm not surprised he's struggling with antibiotics that taste vile. Can you call 111?

Don't worry about the empty stomach, just focus on getting them in. For pain, difflam spray can help, it numbs the back of the throat and works pretty much instantly so can help with swallowing. Do they like ice cream? Nice cold ice cream might go down easier than juice or food and you could hide some pain killers in it for the first bit, then half an hour later when he's less sore try and get the antibiotics in.

If he really isn't swallowing anything (not drinking anything at all) you might need to get him checked out again regardless incase hes getting dehydrated and to make sure theres nothing else going on. How does his breathing sound? It's horrible when they're not well and you feel helpless, hope he's on the mend soon.