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Original poster

Please help me get calpol into my toddler!

38 replies

cowbiscuits · 21/02/2014 20:13

Ended up in A&E last night when 17 month old DS's temperature reached 40.4c and the out-of-hours GP advised us to go. After much waiting they diagnosed an ear infection. They said it should go without antibiotics and just to give regular paracetamol and ibuprofen, which we've been trying to stagger.

The problem is getting it into him. I prefer the syringe method, DH prefers the little spoon. Either way, he just spits the stuff out. We have to wrap him in a towel and pin him to get it anywhere near him. Poor kid. In the past we've had success hiding things in yogurt, which sometimes works still, but recently he's gone off yogurt, and only ate a few spoonfuls of the calpol laced Petit filous I gave him this evening. What I hate is not really knowing how much he's had, meaning he's probably had less than the therapeutic dose but its not really safe to try and top it up.

He seemed better during the day and his temp was normal but tonight its up to 39.6c again. He's now just in a nappy and temp's down a bit. He's not due anything for a while now.

What else can I try to get the next lot into him, and make him feel better?

OP posts:
jumperooo · 21/02/2014 20:15

Syringe into a cup of milk?

beachesandbuckets · 21/02/2014 20:16

sorry was going to suggest the yoghurt trick, worked for us. Any other fave foods which it could be mixed with?

K999 · 21/02/2014 20:16

Syringe placed under the very back of tongue? It was the only way I could get dd to take Calpol at that age Smile

coffeeinbed · 21/02/2014 20:16

Next time just buy some suppositories.
So much easier.

ilovepowerhoop · 21/02/2014 20:24

bribery - tell he can get a sweet if he takes the medicine and swallows it. Syringe is easier as you can do it a little at a time.

ElaClaw · 21/02/2014 20:26

Chocolate milk laced with calpol :)

Littlefish · 21/02/2014 20:29

I agree with coffeeinbed. Dd used to get ear infections all the time when she was younger. When her temperature was high she would really play up when we tried to get paracetemol into her. We were prescribed suppositories, although I think you can also get them over the counter.

They worked brilliantly and would bring her temperature down which meant that she would then take calpol from a syringe when feeling slightly better.

Original poster
cowbiscuits · 21/02/2014 22:00

We were just talking about suppositories earlier (dh and I). DSIL lives in another country and they always use them there, it seems so much better than trying to forcefeed medicine into small children. I guess people are twitchy about stuff like that in this country. Can you buy suppositories for babies/toddlers over the counter without prescription?

Sadly he's not old enough to understand bribery. But he is old enough to get into huge tantrums when he's feeling poorly and mum and dad try to get icky sticky syruppy medicine into his mouth.

May try something chocolatety like a chocolate pudding.

OP posts:
coffeeinbed · 21/02/2014 22:16

I think you can but they are expensive.
I used to buy them in France and keep in the fridge.
But they are easy to use, you know exactly the dose, with Calpol you never quite know now much went in and how much got spat out, and they work very fast.

4nomore · 21/02/2014 22:19

I think it costs over £30 a box here (suppositories), I have them prescribed (my son has ASD and nothing's going in his mouth) but just one box at a time with 10 suppositories in which is a joke. Luckily I have friends in Italy

mousmous · 21/02/2014 22:21

you can buy suppositories, they are expensive (around 8£ for 10) but worth it imo.

work much faster and will not be puked out in case of tummy upset.

call the chemists, some don't have them in stock and need to order them in.

hazeyjane · 21/02/2014 22:22

You can buy suppositories for about £15 a box online. Ds has them prescribed because of swallowing difficulties.

When we give medicines orally, we do the wrapping in a towel, and putting a little in the side of the mouth and stroking his throat to help him swallow, a tiny bit at a time, or he spits or vomits it out.

Try different paracetamols as well, ds will only have the full sugar one or the hospital one, as sugar free is very bitter.

trainersandaches · 21/02/2014 22:24

I made some Calpol ice lollies for my nephew once when he had an ea infection and wouldn't take it.

mousmous · 21/02/2014 22:25

I'm wondering if I cheated the chemist, am Shock at the prices.

Floggingmolly · 21/02/2014 22:26

You used to be able to special dummies; the medicine went into the rubber bit. If he uses a dummy could you improvise?

MaxsMummy2012 · 21/02/2014 22:28

When our little one refused to take it we would use the syringe, lean him back (but not quite laying flat) squirt some into his cheek and then quickly shove his dummy in which meant he would suck and swallow, then just keep repeating till all gone. Good luck.

Original poster
cowbiscuits · 21/02/2014 22:28

I'd pay £30 for 10 suppositories if his temperature was as high as yesterday. He really needed the paracetamol, I was scared he'd have febrile convulsions or something.

Might ask my SIL to bring me some from the Netherlands.

For a while we could get him to take Calpol if we did it right but now he's got more strong-willed toddler tantrummy. If he's poorly enough to need it he's too pissed off to take it.

OP posts:
RiverTam · 21/02/2014 22:31

syringe and chocolate buttons? Get a good syringe, I had a crap one with some antibiotics one time, so stiff, so I bought another one which worked much better.

I'm not sure about a dummy, that sound shockingly bad for his teeth, depending on how long you're having to dose him for.

MrsSchadenfreude · 21/02/2014 22:33

Can you dissolve disprol in juice? This is what we used to do for DD1 - she refused to take Calpol as it was the same colour as her revolting steroid medicine. Nice pharmacist made us up some banana flavour, which she took, but until then, we dissolved Disprol in apple juice.

eatyourveg · 21/02/2014 22:33

We had paracetemol suppositories for ds2 (sn) - so much easier than trying to get anything into his mouth. Dr was happy to prescribe.

zzzzz · 21/02/2014 22:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moomoomummy · 21/02/2014 22:36

Hold his nose and spoon it in. Works a treat as they cant spit it out and breathe at the same time . I am medically trained- it's very safe!

Queenofthehill · 21/02/2014 22:37

Another vote for suppositories. My DS who's nearly 3 will not take calpol or nurofen or will vom if you try to give it. My GP only too happy to prescribe suppositories. Thank goodness, looking at the price!

Huitre · 21/02/2014 22:39

Jam. Or honey.

QuietlyWingingIt · 21/02/2014 22:45

We spoke to a local pharmacist about our calpol refuser as we were looking to buy suppositories but he said they were ridiculously expensive and advised us to shove the calpol loaded (small) syringe up the babies bum and squirt.
Apparently it has the same effect.
We said thank you very much for the info - got home...and decided to carry on trying to get him to take it orally!
Fortunately he now takes calpol without a fuss.

You could always give your DS a choice - in the mouth or up the bum...the choice is yours!!