Tonsillitis - 3yr old won't take penicillin

[ttalloo]

DS1 is three and has had acute tonsillitis since Thursday; the GP gave him penicillin but DS1 hates the taste of it so much (nasty bitter orange) that he refuses to take it. We've tried everything from bribery to coercion, to hiding it in juice, but when he has taken it down, under duress, he's been violently sick and terribly upset. His neck glands are swollen like grapefruit, and he has fevers a few times a day, but apart from that, he's pretty cheerful and has a reasonable appetite, so I'm wondering whether we can get away without giving him any kind of antibiotic. We have a prescription for amoxycillin, but DS1 is so against any medicine now, other than nurofen, that we daren't give it to him. Has anyone else let tonsillitis in a toddler take care of itself without medication? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Personally Id try to get the antibiotics into him. I know 2 kids who've been hospitalised with tonisilitis (sorry).

Have you used a syringe? Have you asked for a different flavour?

Does he like fruit puree pouch things? we put medicine on a spoon sometimes then put a little strong puree over the top to make it less horrible.

It won't get better without antibiotics, it's a bacterial infection. A syringe is better. Penicillin does taste terrible.

Do see if you can get another flavour; my DD hates most solutions, but likes the lemon one and loves the paediatric suspension called amoxil, which has the added advantage that the doses are smaller. I sometimes find that just putting it on a different spoon (colourful one) will also help

No experience with tonsilitis running its course, but when we have an earinfection together with fever we usually go down the AB route. Hope he gets better soon

We tried strawberry-flavoured penicillin on him this afternoon after seeing the emergency doctor for a new prescription, and he hated that too. But he does love fruit purees so maybe we'll try that tomorrow with a less intimidating spoon. I just feel so helpless because he clearly needs the antibiotic but he finds the taste so revolting that it just won't go down and stay down. Having tasted it myself, I can't say I blame him, and I find it hard to believe that something so bitter is intended for children. Sigh.

My DS also refuses point blank to take penicillin or amoxicillan for severe tonsillitis- apologies for the spelling - syringing would make him sick and hiding it in food never worked. However Cefalexin antibiotic which can be used for tonsillitis he loves the taste of - it is full of sugar mind!! an option for you.. It took a lot of research with a pharmacist to find it but it is good against tonsillitis but a bit slower to work than the other two!!