How the heck do you get Calpol into a baby?

[RillaBlythe]

Just choked 9 month old DD syringing some Calpol down her. any tricks?

Aim for the inside of her cheek. She should have a natural reflex that makes her swallow.

I used to have to give my DS medicine twice a day via syringe. It didn't taste as nice as calpol and this was a tip the nurses in the hospital gave me.

Use a spoon not a syringe.

Yup, inside of cheek, one small squirt at a time. Took me about 3 squirts to get 5ml in.

Or if that doesn't work, put the dose into an egg cup & keep dipping your finger into it & giving it to her to suck?

It was the only thing that worked on dd1 at this age - squirting any amount just made her cough it back at me.

Stick with the syringe, spoons are a nightmare. humble is right, point it at inside of cheek, one tiny squirt (like 2ml) at a time.

Yeah I get nowhere with the spoon. Poor little mite needs another dose soon I think... Will try to refine my syringe aim.

If she has a dummy pull the dummy out enough to squirt a bit down the side of it and slowly syringe it in

She's a boob addict - I've been trying to slip the syringe down the side of the nipple but she's wise to that...

Gah, why would it be poorly baby the weekend dp is at work? Have given dd1 her breakfast in front of cbeebies & totally ignored her as dd2 needs to be held.

give her it from her food spoon obviously measure it out first tho.

Just thought of something else - my DS always hated the pink Calpol (it used to make him sick, actually). If you can get the orange flavoured stuff it may go down better.

I'd put the syringe in and gently blow on her forehead and she'd swallow!!

In many countries they have suppositories which act quicker and easier to administer. You can ask your doctor whether they can prescribe you paracetamol suppositories for babies. I know that many small children waste antibiotics and other oral medicine because they cannot swallow it.

well Calpol is no issue for my 2 DC as they both love it (i have to make sure they cannot get it otherwise I'm sure they would just drink the whole bottle!)
However, when DS had some prescribed medicine which was yucky the doctor told me to lay him down flat (with head slightly lower than feet) open mouth, and squirt at back of throat. Not pleasant to say the least and he did protest but it did the trick and actually got swallowed rather than spat out, which is the main thing. He was about 1 at the time

Has anyone tried using those dummies which you put medicine in?

I do the little squirts against inside cheek technique too. Had no idea it was The Technique Of Choice! Works pretty well.

My DD's consultant advised me to use age 6+ calpol but only 2.5ml dose.

Different consistency and obviously much smaller dose = non fitting child

She had a fair feet febrile convulsions so it was important to get temperatures down quick

Empusa - I did, but found Calpol too thick and syrupy to get through the little holes, iykwim

magic trick.

As well as using a syringe and pointing into their cheek, BLOW ON THEIR FACE as you squirt the medicine in. They are so shocked that they swallow. It works brilliantly.

I did try a medication dummy but they always had a flipping seam in them back then!

Would ibuprofen be suitable? DD takes it better than calpol for some reason.

Why this country doesn't do suppositories for babies is beyond me! So much easier.

I had to give ds antibiotics recently, the cheek thing sometimes worked but the best was mixing it with yoghurt (they are supposed to be taken on an empty stomach but the dr suggested it and it's better than not having any).
Just one caution about blowing in face, it can make them gasp rather than just swallow, and inhale the medicine....

My NHS doctor always prescribed suppositories for my boy when he was little, he couldn't keep liquids or tablets down when ill due to various reasons. At least this way he was getting the medication.

I used the dummy - it was rubbish! It spills out and they would literally have to suck it to get the full dose - too messy! Mix it in a yog or put it in some food? We used to put it in warm milk but that wa from 15 months up