Please help me - 8 year old wont take antibiotics

[lizvic]

Hi

My child fainted at school, he has a raging temperature and tonsillitus.

He wont take medication. I asked GP for paracetomol suppositories, he said no, so I had to pay £40 for 10.

My son wont take his antibiotics - it take forever to take the smallest bit, then he has a drink and instead of swallowing, he spits it out.

Ive tried everything I can think of since Friday.

I just feel like crying.

Im going to have to spend another £40 tomorrow on the paracetomol too.

How on earth do I get him to swallow his medicine.

Please. can anyone help?

x

Thank you so much JollyGiraffe.

Much appreciated xxx

You can buy the Calpol six-plus chewable tablets which taste ok, according to my son, who can’t bear the taste of most medicines.

Urrgghh, he wont take it.

I know i sound like Im being pathetic, but Im not.

He puts the tablet in his mouth and drinks but he just can't swallow it.

I really don't know where to go from here.

I do truly appreciate everyone' help though.

xx

In A&E you wouldn't believe how many children we get in because theY won't take there Abx and get worse. Get your husband to sit him on his lap holding him, his arms folded across his chest so he can't move. Ideally one arm to hold both your sons arm and one hand on his forehead then syringe the liquid (if you still have the liquid) in. If he spits it out do it again. It sound awful but it is what the hospital will do anyway and it is better than you son getting sepsis and actually requiring IVabx. I have never know IV abx be given just because a child won't swallow meds. Good Luck. Remember you are the parent and by being a bit mean you are prevent him possibly becoming extremely unwell.

Zeelove. Very helpful. I'm sure that will work. Why didn't the op just do that? We had similar with DS at around the same age. It was horrific. He just couldn't take them. Gagged. Threw it back up again. Cried. I should have just said you take them. The end.

Have you tried mixing it with yoghurt? Or ice cream?

Assuming he doesn't have SN he just needs to be told he'll be taking this medicine or there will be consequences.

I agree that by entertaining this notion is ridiculous. He's eight, he's not a baby and he needs to take the medicine.

And yes, removal of toys/privileges if he doesn't comply. Added to which, if he refuses to comply you don't want to hear about his silly illnesses because he clearly doesn't want to get better and as such you won't be pandering.

Mixing it with stuff prolongs the agony in my view. I used to have a real issue with the banana one and to this day can't even stand the smell of fake banana flavour anything. However DD used toplay up and I sat her down and told her that it was far less traumatic to get it done and gone than faff about putting it back in mouth to taste again by spitting etc and the best thing to do was to hold her own nose and just get one with it and it will be done and dusted till next time. By giving her control to hold her own nose, move her head to help swallowing and letting her get on with it we still had the yuck yuck yuck behaviour but the stuff was in her. I would second the hold him if this doesn't work and if his nose is held the reflex gets it down - cruel to be kind stuff

A derail, I know, but how is it easier to put a suppository in a reluctant 8yo than get them to swallow a tablet? I see pp frequently suggesting suppositories as a solution for reluctant tablet takers but have never worked out the logistics for a child over about 2yo!

Sorry if I haven't understood but is it tablets or liquid?

Sounds like it's tablet paracetamol and liquid antibiotics?

If so crush the paracetamol up and put in some juice. Antibotics with some sort of creamy liquidy treat that he likes?

Stop giving them to him, tell him he doesn't need to take them anymore, then an hour or so later present him with a milkshake, with them crushed up.
The psychology of him knowing they are in something is possibly playing a part.
Also McDonald's milkshake, v cold to mask flavours, v big to spread flavour and probably huge treat!

For heavy tablets, I found that putting them in my mouth, taking a big mouthful of water and holding it in my mouth, then tipping my head back so they "sink" to the back of my mouth before swallowing makes it much easier.

Some people like me tend to swallow liquid from the front of our mouths, and it means pills can get stuck on your tongue. Add that to the awful erythromycin taste which quickly gets worse if you dont swallow first time, and its a recipe for misery.