Ultimate showdown: DS 3.5 refuses to take med. How do YOU win the war??

[WaitingForVino]

DS 3.5 has flu (swine flu we suspect).
He is normally great at taking medicine (from a dropper). However with Tamiflu it's been different. Totally refuses.

We tried mixing with sweet liquid - still he refuses - we tried talking, reasoning, bribing, discipline (naughty spot) and ultimately resorted to the pin-arms-down-and-use-force method. Awful.

Am determined to find another way. We think he's unable to swallow the whole tablet so it must go into liquid or food.

Problem I have with the food route is, the theory is that you use a favourite food. However the medicine taste is very bitter. I imagine one taste and he'll refuse to eat any more as it's clearly NOT his normal favourite food anymore - it will taste hideous! Result - no medicine given and food gone to waste.

Does anyone else have to force medicine on their DC? I know someone will come along and say, oh he doesn't need the medicine, if he doesn't want it, don't give it. Not an option in this case so don't bother posting if that's your opinion. DS is at risk due to chest complications so must take the medicine.

I fear we'll end up in hospital...last time he had a virus that's what happened. This time we have a medication against it but the little bugger is too stubborn to take it!!

TIA

Waiting - I'm with the pin them down and force it in method. I know my SIL a peds consultant does it as well.

Have you tried getting him to take the tamiflu mixed with what ever liquid via a syringe/dropper. I always get a syringe off the chemist's (free) but the one out of a nurofen bottle work too. IME, mix with the smallest amount of liquid possible i.e. 5mls so you only have to get one syringe full down him.

Good Luck. Hope he's better soon.

Poor you.
You are right, he absolutely must take it. I take it there is absolutely no chance of it coming in liquid form? Might still be a fight, but at least not a pill, which must be horrible for a wee one to try to take.

Sorry, I cannot be much help here, other than to say yes, even if it means forcing him, you are right to make sure he gets it. Must be awful for you all though.

SIL recommends not just holding arms but actually sitting on floor, legs in front of you, DC lying between your legs, head nearest you, pin arms under your thighs and if need be hold DC's legs/feet down using your lower legs. I've tried this and it works. Very handy when you are alone and have to administer yuck meds. Ok, so it sounds rough but actually DC can't squirm away and my DS only needs this done for 2 doses before he'll take really bitter meds without me having to hold him down. Having a glass of favourite juice/milk to had before you start to wash it down followed by a sweetie or choc works wonders here too.

Have you tried the banana pill thing? I read about it somewhere - you stuff the pill into a piece of ripe banana and then get them to swallow it. Apparently it goes down easily as it is so squishy.

Or how about crushing it and mixing with a dollop of honey?

I don't know about tamiflu and if you can get it dissolved into water?

if you can get it dissolved into 10mls of water, then even put a bit of squash in it, draw it up into a syringe.

Your the boss. Headlock, or sit him on your knee, somebody else hold his limbs and squirt into the back of the mouth. close mouth quick.

Sounds barbaric, and it is the first few times, but I know how important it is for him to get the medicine into him. He will most likely get used to it after the first few times and not resist as much.

A nurse in children's ward taught me this method, when my DS was in with pneumonia. He simply had to have the anti bs or else it was IV time and I really didnt want that. He kicked her in the head (while i was holding him) and medicine got squirted in my eyes it was that bad the first time. But you have to mean business and get the job done.
(i ran to the loo to cry afterwards lol)

Sympathies I know how hard it can be!

Does the bribery definitely not work? Ds has just had to have a course of steriods for his asthma, which taste awful, but managed to take them if knew a chocolate finger would be offered immediately

May not be appropriate given the potential bitter taste but I used to hide DD's medicines in ice cream...

Given the importance of him taking it try not to feel bad about 'forcing' it down. How about some serious bribery for taking his daily dose(s)- a toy he would love (maybe something you already have stashed for Christmas) or a trip..... Maybe its a bit OTT but it sounds like its really important that he takes it and not the time to worry about 'spoiling' him.

Am trying to think of the sweetest substance that you could mix it with- how about that chocolate syrup that is for putting on icecream.

Good luck.

Nova - both SIL, peds dr and a friend who is a peds nurse have said how much eaiser to administer meds using that method when parents aren't on the ward! I would've had to go for a cry in the loo after too, I did first time DD was in hospital had blood taken age 10wks.

Some more tips here

oh, i like that cheese/milk tip. mentally bookmarks it for future use.

Breaking the pill and mixing the powder in yogurt worked with dd when she had to have tamiflu..

thanks all. was about to try putting it in Nutella as he really loves that - but DH got to him first and here's what worked this morning - shall try it again tonight:

DS doesn't mind taking Nurofen - and he needs it for his fever (as well as the Tamiflu). So we mixed up the powder from the Tamiflu capsule with 3ml of Nurofen, put that in the syringe, then showed him as we "filled" the syringe from the Nurofen bottle (actually just topped up with 2ml). He took the whole 5ml lot easily thinking it was completely Nurofen from the bottle.

I feel quite deceptive but hell, it worked!

Yep we had to do this to our DD too when she was 3.
I found I had to pinch her nose while pinning her down to force her to swallow.
She has no recollection of it at all now and laughs when we tell her the story and takes her medicine no problem now.
Its distressing for you I know but please be reassured you're not the first and won't be the last parent to have to do this!

So glad you've found a trick that works for him.

Now DD has it. What's that the wise people say? What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger? Hmm.

hope neither are suffering too badly.

you dont
ds ( now 11) was terrible
still hates it - is dleighted to take ubuprofen pills now

My DD2 was diagnosed with leukaemia when she was 3.5. Before this, she refused to take any medicine but obviously we had to get the drugs into her somehow. I used to crush her tablets between 2 teaspoons and mix (in a 5ml medicine spoon) with a few drops of coke or lemonade. She was quite happy to swallow this. Other children I've known have taken pills crushed & mixed with peanut butter or ice cream. My mum always mixed my tablets with jam and because of that, to me blackcurrant jam always tastes of aspirin!

I used to have a glash of orange juice and sparkling water an a smartie ready on a table and then do the headlock between the legs thing for DD1 when she had a bad UTI.
Took a day of forcing before she had the drink ready to wash away taste and choclate melting in hand to reasure her.
Much sympathy, it's horrible doing it.

why have they not given you the tamiflu liquid?