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Original poster

Tips on giving medicine

19 replies

mamaspice · 27/11/2007 13:15

My 15 month DS has been given antibiotics which he needs to take four times a day. He has become an expert at spitting it out . I have resorted to using a syringe and wrestling with him to keep him still!! Not a nice experience for either of us. I am not sure how much he is actually having and know its important for him to complete the course. Any tips? Thanks

OP posts:

onelittlelion · 27/11/2007 13:21

We had a brief phase where if I pretended to have some and offered some to daddy or bear then ds would take it...unfortunately doesn't work that well now so will watch this thread too! Hope your ds is feeling better!

LiegeAndLief · 27/11/2007 13:30

OK this is unpleasant but works (and is the only way we can get ds to take medicine after trying everything we could think of). You need 2 people though. One of you hold him down and hold his head still tilting very slightly backwards to stop it falling straight out again (but not so far back he chokes!). The other one syringe in a bit of medicine and then massage gently under his chin, in the soft bit between jawbone and throat (sure there is a technical word!) which will encourage him to swallow. Usually takes us 3-4 goes to do 5ml, if you put too much in it will all come out. Then lots of cuddles and love and a exciting toy. I hate doing it - will also watch this thread to see if there's anything we haven't tried!

RubySlippers · 27/11/2007 13:33

you can try to get the syringe into the pouch of the cheek - this way they have to swallow the medicine

we also use Liege's technique which was shown to us by a nurse

i do sympathise - DS is poorly and we have the four hourly wrestle to get the nurofen down him

ja9 · 27/11/2007 13:35

distraction?

put him in front of tv, hold him close, tuck one of his arms behind you. hoild the other and use your free hand with the syringe.

nobodysfool · 27/11/2007 13:39

hello mamaspice.
I have a 2.5 ds.He has had antibiotics four times so far and it was only on the third time when i told the phamasist(sp) in Boots i was having trouble getting it down him as amoxillcillon(sp again)tasted so bitter.She told me the 'brand' name to get which is Amoxil.Like bakedbeans are made by diff people so are medicines.She gave me this one to try(its a whitish colour not the day glow yellow one-which is the happy shopper version)It tastes much better and ds will hapily take it-have you tried a treat after the medicine?I used to have a choc button in one hand so he could see it and give him the medicine with the other.as they say A spoonfull of sugar makes the medicine go down.
Bet you just sang that last line in your head didnt you?

Original poster

mamaspice · 27/11/2007 13:58

Thank you - all really useful tips. Also nice to know I am not the only one with this prob! I have tried distraction but as soon as he tastes the medicine he spits it out. I will try Leige's technique - I am sort of doing that anyway and good to know nurse says its okay. Nobodysfool I will try the different type next time (hopefully not for a while.)

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mummymagic · 27/11/2007 14:02

We let dd (19mths) give it to dolly first (with lots of cuddles and praise for dolly) and then it's her turn. I let her have her dummy and wait for her to take it out of her mouth before I squirt the syringe in. She has sucks of dummy in between. Lots of cuddles and praise for her 'braveness'. It's slower (you have to be patient) but more effective than doing it without her consent - cos she just spat it out everywhere (she hasn't got a sweet tooth and hates all medicine, calpol et al) - was going crazy with it before...

mummymagic · 27/11/2007 14:05

PS you do have to do whatever works as they have to have it. So don't feel bad - it's medicine, it's not supposed to be nice. And whatever gets it down their throats IMO...

LiegeAndLief · 27/11/2007 14:12

A nurse also showed us this is hospital, so I felt it was "officially sanctioned"! Still horrible though . Our ds is the same as yours, he just hates the taste and goes mad as soon as it gets in his mouth even if he is opening his mouth happily. Good luck, hope the course is over soon!

kitbit · 27/11/2007 14:33

I mix it into his yogurt. I know you can't do this 4 times a day, but at least one dose tastes OK! For the rest I cradle him in one arm, on my lap, tucking his hand closest to me under my arm. Then with the hand under his head I hold his other wrist (god this sound awful) and tuck his legs under my free arm. Then I blow raspberries in his tummy until he opens his mouth to laugh or protest and syringe a bit in the side of his mouth - not in the middle otherwise he would choke.
I always tell him first though, I don't want him to mistrust every tummy tickle from here onwards!

Now he's older I use choices - do you want the medicine in the spoon or the syringe? Both choices lead to medicine but it helps him feel a bit in control. He is 3 though, no good for younger ones.

polecat · 28/11/2007 09:45

Wow - I must have little junkies in the making! My kids seem to love medicine...my DS eats fish oil capsules (not strictly medicine I know) like they are lollies. Mummymagic is right - if they have to have it, they have to have it. Liege's technique is good although I wouldn't hold the kid down as such but rather sit them on my knee to their side and then use my left hand to hold onto their left arm (tuck their right arm into your body) and use your right hand to gently hold their head while someone else squirts in the stuff.

AnnieOneSeenMyPumpkin · 28/11/2007 12:59

My DS takes his syringeful believing it's a lolly. He wants to dip the syringe in the bottle himself and then sucks on it after.

DD then wants 'some' too though...

lottiejenkins · 28/11/2007 15:10

When my ds(now 11) was small i used to ask for the yellow antibiotics and mix it with pineapple and grapefruit highjuice. The two colours mixed together well, unlike the pink antibiotics!!

jacobandlysetteandabump · 28/11/2007 15:31

ds (16m) has his own syringe to hold whilst we squirt them into his mouth - on the side where the molars will be. when he was younger with antibiotics we used to give him a few sips of milk then quirt a bit in because he too used to spit it out.

good luck!

Original poster

mamaspice · 29/11/2007 18:48

I have been putting your ideas into practise. I have given up trying to give it on my own - it is a two person job. Having thought that he was too young to 'get' giving teddy medicine I gave it a try and bless him he started to pretend to give it to teddy - very sweet. He stilled tried to spit out his own medicine but the whole thing did seem a little less of a struggle. I checked with the pharmacist(sp?) about mixing with other food and he said juice not diary. I gave this a try but he did not want to drink the juice but it might work for other children.
Thanks for all your encouragement and ideas.

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Original poster

mamaspice · 29/11/2007 20:02

dairy not diary - bit tired

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kitbit · 29/11/2007 22:11

oops about the yogurt then!!! I have only tried it with calpol but will switch to mashed fruit instead or something!

woopsie

Original poster

mamaspice · 30/11/2007 07:29

i didn't make you feel bad kitbit. I was asking about antibiotics not calpol, ibroprofen etc - so it could be fine with those medicines.(smile)

OP posts:

kitbit · 30/11/2007 14:13

nonono s'ok, I was just taking interested note and worrying that I might have given you a duff idea! glad it all seems to be going OK with the medicine now! x

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