Child refuses to take medicine

[Happyandglorious]

My son (6) needs to take anti biotics.
The ones he needs do not taste that nice but can not be changed.
Have added water and sugar (no idea if this makes it ineffective) Just took 45 mins of crying to finally get him to take it.
Any suggestions?

Can you teach him to take tablets? I had a medicine refuser- would throw up calpol etc.

So i got her to practice with tictacs and peas. Swallow them whole.

When she needed antibiotics i asked for tablets. Easier all round.

I haven't read the full thread, just wanted to say an essential in our medicine cupboard is medicine sweets they are usually sour or fizzy like tangfastics and ds (7) will tolerate iron supplement syrup or calpol/cough syrup on the promise of a sweet as payment.

Yes I'm a crap mother, but bribery works

I’m with you OP and I don’t have any advicee unfortunately. DS2 (6) has a medicine phobia (and toothpaste but that’s another story) and we have literally tried everything. We’ve been extremely lucky not to have needed antibiotics for a couple of years.
I’m currently looking into therapy for him as the toothpaste thing is starting to cause issues.
Good luck!

Absolute bribery (new shoes at the end of the course) combined with squirting it using a syringe into the cheek (by passes taste buds) in 2 goes and lots of water straight away is working for me with the 7yr old Dd who has - I’m guessing - the same antibiotic - phenoxymethyl penicillin.

Maple syrup was the only thing able to disguise the bitter taste of some capsule antibiotics my daughter needed, age 5 - we broke them open and sprinkled the powder on top of a spoonful of syrup. If you can get capsules, that might be worth a try.

Longer term, I second the suggestion to teach him how to take tablets. My DD found that so much easier.

Yes same as type your ds namechamge.
Syringe doesn't help but new shoes...
Or other big bribe might...
Thank you.
Really appreciate everyone's suggestions

@LadyCassandra is it the taste of toothpaste? I can't use mint ones

Get a syringe (no needle, obvs) and squirt it into the side of his mouth, between his jaw and his cheek. Then
reward him for being a brave boy, lots of cuddles and a sweet.

@yesqueen no, all toothpastes, although he also won’t go in the bathroom if he can smell mint! I think it’s a sensory texture thing that has progressed too far!

Can he take them himself if you sort out the dose/method? And just encourage him and praise him taking his own medicine.

Is it pen V? SO VILE. I feel for your DS. And you. Agree it’s a nightmare when there’s no time and you have to get places/do stuff.

Can't help with the medicine.

However Colgate comes in Herbal flavour too. You have to import it via Amazon or Ebay, but it's much nicer than the horrible UK minty stuff.

Go back to the Gp and request another antibiotic, if he is anything like my ds1. He has always been a medicen refuser but is now old enough for bribery. When he was 2yr and needed antibiotics for a bad skin infection, I had to take him back as he basically just spit it out if I managed to sneak some in his mouth and when I took him back to dr was told if the second antibiotics don't work then he would need to get admitted and given it through a drip. The second one he drank with the help of tv, kindle and a mixture of fruits. Compliance is very important. But the first antibiotic ds1 was given, there was no hope in him take it. He even made himself vomit!! After I managed to successfully sneak some in his mouth.

It also took me a very long time to give him the second antibiotics, if you find a way don't forget to update.

Can you not just get it in tablet form?
Much less faff

Get him to hold his nose whilst you put the medicine in his mouth and whilst he swallows it. As soon as he’s swallowed it give him a drink of water to rinse the taste away or he could have a sweet or some chocolate instead. I’ve always found this works with my DC.

Thanks all. I appreciate all the advice. Will hopefully have an easier time tomorrow.

First mix up some strong squash whatever flavour he likes. Then freeze small blobs of the meds, no bigger than a 5p. Get an ice cube tray and put the frozen blobs of meds in them and pour squash in and refreeze.

Then give them to him, as many as make up a dose. By the time the frozen squash melts enough to taste the blob of meds in the middle, he has already swallowed it.

Success!
Added honey and sugar to meds (was more of a crunchy sloppy paste than liquid )
Served it in a shot glass with a short straw (always serve meds this way when they wont take it in a syringe)
Took others to school first (live near by thankfully)
Was determined not to shout but also that he would take it.
Told him I would re-install bloody subway surf.
Took 5 mins of complaining and had to spoon it in, in the end bc of the texture. But he took it all and told his teacher who praised him in front of whole class (we got there late )
Anyway. Success of sorts.
Thank you all for the solidarity and advice.
Cant remember who suggested honey -but thank you!

Yay!! So glad it's sorted!