How do you get liquid medicine into a toddler who has learnt how to spit it out?

[TenLordsaLapin]

Spoons - hopeless. Syringe was working until he realised he could blow bubbles and spit it out . He's got a hacking cough and a temperature, and I need to get some medicine into him but it's impossible! Any hints, please? I tried putting it in milk and he's completely not having that either

I wish I did
Good luck, hope something works without any of you getting upset.

ibuprofen is orange flavour so I add it to pure orange juice and he doesnt even realise

We are having just the same problem here, but with antibiotics - ds is 23months and kicks and screams as soon as meds are mentioned. Then spits it out, gags and vomits It's 10mls 2ce a day - which is loads!

The whole family had had the same bug (streptococcus), so we tried crushing some of the adult pills for him, but they are so bitter you can't disguise them in food (yes I even tried a truffle...)

We officially gave up today, as dh and I can't stand the fight and we both end up depressed. I love Juules idea of talking them through it, but we have tried. He listens, nods then the kicking and screaming starts again.

Am beaten - will talk to the doc tomorrow about the implications... he has had about 5 days of a 10 day course - but not sure how much REALLY went down

Hope things are better in the lapin hutch!

I'm with juule, lots of co-operation and firmness - have explained what we do on the other thread. dd is 19mths too.

(PS was good to meet you last night Lapin)

I've also found that calpol goes down easier than ibuprofen. I've tried the ibuprofen and it has a slightly gritty texture which clings to the back of the throat - no wonder they don't like it!

You too MM!

We tried cooperation and explaining and he sooooo wasn't having it.

The GP told me to use ibuprofen because it is more effective at reducing temperatures quickly. It's all bloody horrible sticky stuff!

had more success with strawberry ibu than anything else. have you ever given liquid medicine to a cat? similar tactics i found, holding tight soft talking and very fast dose.

i have opposite problem, ds often says 'i am sick want medicine nownownow'

Seriously - often (not always, before people start telling me about febrile convulsions) this is nature's way of reminding us that bodies are really good at dealing with lots of minor illness without any need for medicine. Benign neglect is an excellent policy!

So if he was more ill he'd let me give him medicine?!

yes, i think he would. but that doesn't neccessarily mean you shouldn't give it now to forestall higher temps, which it deffo does. your call really.

hi, i posted a thread on this the other day. i found that if i give my dd my mobile phone to play with, it kind of distracted her when i gave the medi in a syringe. she was so busy pressing the buttons she just swallowed automatically, followed by a sip of water. worked a treat for us

I think he probably would, tenlordsalapin(great name by the way). I think we are sometimes too quick to head for the calpol. Their immune systems have to learn how to work!

I realise you are speaking generally but we actually very rarely give him Medised, I am not keen on medicating in general. However, the cough syrup stops him coughing to the point that he vomits, and allows him to sleep - which he needs to get better.

You can try the Sidge's Last Resort way - sounds a bit harsh but gets the job done

Wrap him in a towel or blanket so his arms and legs are pinned.

Wedge his head under your left arm (if you are right handed) and tilt it slightly to one side, then using a syringe give just one ml at a time into the side and back of the mouth - where his molars meet his cheek. If he clamps his mouth shut hold his nose then he'll have to open it.

It's very hard to spit out one ml, so when it's swallowed give the next ml and so on. If he swallows well then try 2 mls next time.

Big cuddles afterwards. (Of course)

We are getting to that point Sidge.

The trouble is, he starts to scream as soon as he sees the syringe now . I think I might buy another one tomorrow and let him have it to play with.

Tickle good luck with your DS too.

not buy, get a selection of spoons and syringes from pharmacy, they should have loads. the syringe which goes into proper branded children neurofen is the easiest i've tried.

Oh really? I will have a look, thank you . Yes, I meant "get", I got the last one from Boots for free. I think I might have cracked it when I threw it earlier so I better get a few!

I feel for you. DS2 was a nightmare when he was this age, (he's now 11 and takes his medicine well, thankfully, although he did pull his face at the Antibiotics he was on last week).

Thankfully, he never needed medicine much, but it was horrible when he did.

Good luck Lapin. Sounds like a good idea to let him play with one. Maybe do some pretend medicine on dolly or bear at a point when you aren't going to give some... I guess you have to break that really negative association - it is so exactly what happened with my dd (not that she LOVES taking medicine, but she endures it without screaming).

Also suddenly thought, what about countdowns? Do you use those? So ten to one say, and by the time you get to one it's finished... Or (if you can do it in three) one, two, three and all done.

Good luck - and post your advice when you find out what works..!

Sat next to a paediatric nurse at a wedding once and she told me that stroking the throat makes them swallow - works for us, actually, and have just tried it on myself, and it does seem to have that effect. Also second the Nurofen syringe.