How do I get medicine down my toddler? He keeps spitting it out!

[TheBlonde]

He is 21 mths. I have tried the spoon and the syringe. At best I get 20% success

Any tips?

syringe down the side of his cheek and teeth .. to the back .. then they automatically swallow

sympathies it can be bloody difficult

Hold nose at same time if still resistant

His nose, obviously not yours

Failing that try hiding it in: ice cream or fresh orange juice

Stick it in a small beaker of chocolate milk. Or undiluted apple juice. Sometimes I used to stir it into a little pot of fromage frais, especially if it was a horrible granular med.
I wish they would just make it taste nicer though.

Syringe it to the back & side of the cheek, it tends to activate the swallow reflex. I have the oposite problem where ds2 asks for medicine

We got to that stage with ds2, gave him so much applause and made such a big deal out of him taking it he was devastated when we finished the bottle.

yep, I'd echo syringe to the side and back. When I've been desperate and it has been really important that the medicine has been taken properly eg. antbiotics I have been known to enlist the help of another adult if poss, if no one available I've got them into a half nelson and held the nose so that they have to swallow. Doesn't sound nice I know, but rathe that than a very sick child.

Blow in their face makes them swallow - or hold nose - god I sound like a right witch!!

Sorry, but this thread has been just the tonic I needed PMSL at the half nelson in particular.

(PS.. I can't add to any of the tips, other than I have been known to add it to milk, which helped here - icecream better idea at his age though)

Cheers for all the tips

Oh sympathy! My ds is just the same. For future reference you could ask the doc to prescribe a more concentrated medicine - easier to get 2.5mls down at a time than 5mls iyswim...

I would try to get him to say words which made him open his mouth wide then jump in with the syringe. Or creep up beside him while he's engrossed in something. Good luck

Hi, I've a 5m old who needs regular medication and we found a fantastic medicine dummy in Mothercare. You put the medicine in a special part of the dummy and the baby takes it in as they suck the dummy. At 21m it might not work if they don't have a dummy, but I thought I'd suggest in case you did not know. Some chemists probably also stock them

What is it? Calpol can be mixed with anything but some abs are less effective if mixed with dairy.

ABs, medised at night and calpol in the day
Resorted to hiding the ABs in food/milk today

A friend of mine went to the doctor with the same problem and was shown how to restrain and administer calpol to her son 24mths. I think headlock and nose pinching was involved but wouldn't like to reccomend, give your HV a call they would definately know the best way

warm apple juice is particularly good for calpol and medised. Ds2 is nearly 6 and would still rather put up with sore throat/headache whatever than actually allow medicine to knowingly pass his lips...

I've only had to deal with this for one lot of ABs with DS3 and you have my sympathies.

I resorted to wrapping him tightly in a big bath towel,lying him in my lap like a small baby,syringe(primed before I snuck up with the towel)down the cheek,(quite easy because he would be grimacing by then!)and then a 'magic' jelly tot after.