2.5 yr old 39F temp and refuses medicine...

[Flutterbye]

I'm afraid she's going to fit if her temp doesn't come down, can't manage to bribe her into having any calpol, etc. always had probs giving it to her, she had some at 11am now won't take any. Just wants to sleep and says "no medicine". How long to I let her go on like this, what can we do any techniques?? She's in a vest and nappy, keep trying to dampen her down with a flannel, will sip water, but no food recently. Phoned NHS direct, they'll get back to us within the hour. She's coughed up some foul phlegm stuff. worried.

I know it's awful but can you force some in with a syringe? We had to go to hospital with DD and that's what they did, might be kinder coming from you. We've had to virtually get her in a headlock before which is distressing but when you need to get their temp down you have to force it a little.

Hi, was actually looking to post a thread very similar! Ds2 is 2.3 and has hand, foot and mouth (or at least we think it is!) No fluid since dinner, and nothing since breakfast. He hasn't had any meds at all, temp is high, and am looking at yet another night of no sleep....
The doctor told us to get a syringe, get it into his cheek and squeeze it. Apparently if it goes in the cheek theres no where else but down it can go. Doesn't work for us but thought it might for you!

i tried that earlier today, made her hate medicine even more, and me and spat most of it out on me, will try the syringe in cheeck method next time, what else have I got to lose??

Yeah, i've tried the headlock method, i ended up nearly as upset as ds!!!! I think if you hold her cheeks in a fishlike way (hmm)you might have more luck.
Good luck and hope she sleeps thru the night!

My ds is terrible at medicine, usually if i get any in he spits it straight out. I know this might sound daft, but we've found using a syringe, and giving him something to play with that he's usually not allowed to, to distract him helps. It's usually his dads mobile phone with a game on. Hope she improves.

Can ytou put the medicine in a beaker of juice and tell her she has to drink it all??? Or hot chocolate.

I know, I've had penecillin (sp) in my eye before! It's awful having to do it but if you can get a little in then it really will help

I know it is awful when your dc is poorly, but if i can just give you a little reassurance.

My dd was hospitalised at 9 mnths with illness, and she took very little fluid for 5 days, only drops of water through a syringe, and it wasnt until the 5th 6th day that they threatened her with a drip, so just try a little, every 20 - 30 mins through a syringe. As for calpol, you will just have to persevere, try keeping her temp down with a wet flannel, a fan, windows open, anything to cool her. But if temp still bad, and you are scared ring nhs direct, they can get a doc to speak with you any time of the night.

is she def not going to be bribed?

i forced dd on occassions as a tiny but as soon as she was reasonable (well sort of) i promised she could take medicine, pressing thee 'button' herself rinse mouth with water then have a choc button/smartie (a right drama, suits a drama queen)

at that age, cheek trick or not they can spit it out and vomit it up if determined enough and then you just loose fluids too

good luck, hope she is better soon

depends how sick she is outside the temp
If she is 39 and not fitting it's unlikely this will happen.
Keep her cool. Open a window, wipe face and hands to cool her.
But the temp is an important part of fighting fever so although 39 is too high to let go if she is otherwise strong ( fighting meds sounds like she is ok!) don't focus on just the temp.
Nhs direct will offer proper advice mind you!

Sorry to hear that your little one is not well. Could you syringe bits of calpol into her mouth a tiny drop at a time when she is nearly asleep?

It's no use for tonight for you, but for future you could check out medicine dummies. We had one of these link here. I think that every new mother should be issued with one!

We let ds1 play with it a little when he wasn't ill, as he wasn't used to a dummy, and occasionally I'd dip it in juice first so that he accociated it with nice tastes. It works like a syringe, but is easier to administer, because most littlies don't mind having a dummy slipped into their mouth, so it's much less threatening - and easier to hold in place with the bit around the lips.

Hope NHS direct are of use.

I have a ds with ASD, doesn't take medicine at all - even hospital couldn't get him to take anything using oral method and he soon learnt to clench! .

We use a fan, even though he hates it, cool flannel or even bath if possible and have these fluid filled plastic fish you can freeze and put on the head.

Straws can be a good way to get fluids down or ice pops if they will tollerate them.

Hope your little one is soon feeling better

My DH solved this problem for me - DD was totally refusing. Here's how he did it.

I tell you - the man's a genius!

WRT damping down with a flannel, make sure that the water is tepid and not cold as it can cause their little bodies to go into shock (according to my GP).

I hope that your LOs are feeling better soon.

yep that's right even warmer than tepid
It is the water drying that performs the cooling on the skin

DS was like this last night. His temperature was 39.9 with the window open and just in his nappy. He fell asleep so I left him. Was right as rain this morning with just a bit of a cough although the only thing he has eaten today is a yogurt. He has had 1 bottle of juice and 3 bottles of milk though.

flutterbye, i have the same problem with2.5 y old ds...but basically instead of giving calpol by mouth, i do it rectally when he sleeps...i know it sounds really bad but at least he won't reject any! however do it discreetly as my ds now knows when i put his trousers down...he hates it but at least temperature is controlled! good luck

i mean use suppositories!

hi flutterbye, we have just got back from hospital with our dd 16 months who had a very high temp and was sleepy and floppy, she used the syringe method in the cheek and i've done it myself before putting her to bed. her temp is now under control but there were loads of kids there stripped to their nappies and screaming.
dd has only eaten yoghurt all day, hope your lo is well soon,

I was up in the night too giving DD (2.6) medicine. She's got a horrible cough and didn't know what to do with herself this morning.

sorry havent read whole thread which i know is annoying so sorry if its been said. none of my dc will take medicine of any description no matter how poorly they are. HOWEVER with dd who is 3, nearly 4, i use paracetemol suppositories for children from the gp who prescribed them. it is a bit ewwwww the first few times but its THE BEST THING EVER! dd always suffers really badly whenever she is poorly and the suppository sorts her out almost instantly. please please try it . hope she feels better soon

ps if she knows its coming she gets cross so i try and take her by surprise with it eg when she is dozing off or watching telly or something lol

This works on mine - I tell them the quicker they take it the bigger the bad surprise for the germs & they'll go away quicker. Also having chocolate buttons in view helps.

Agree it is very difficult & stressful. Have had to hold my kids down to get a medicindedoser in the mouth & then hold the mouth closed. Awful to do.