2yo totally refusing to swallow medicine

[WhateverHappenedToSpokeyDokeys]

DD is 2.5 and was prescribed amoxicillin yesterday for an ear infection. We have wasted several doses because she absolutely refuses to swallow it.

So far we have tried absolutely everything we can think of, or that has been recommended - being super casual, being firmer, food bribes, pretending to give medicine to her teddies, waiting til she’s distracted with the TV....then as far as the actual delivering the dose goes, we’ve tried squirting it in her cheek, using a spoon so she could do it herself, squirting it in tiny bits, letting her hold the syringe....nothing works. She fights us off, spits it out, wriggles, clenches her teeth, sticks her tongue out so it all spills out, or blows a huge raspberry so it gets sprayed everywhere.

I’m at the end of my tether trying to get it in, what else can I try? She’s feeling absolutely rotten and it’s so frustrating to waste so much medicine that could be making her better.

That doesn't mean that they can't be necessary in an ear infection! My daughter had her eardrum burst due to an ear infection once.

We've just finished a course of amoxicillin and it went undetected in the yellow Ella's kitchen fruit purée pouches. Mixed the dose with about a third of a pouch and he sat and happily ate his "yoghurt"

“That doesn't mean that they can't be necessary in an ear infection! ”

Of course it doean’t. But they often aren’t necessary. So it’s worth thinking about.

"Of course it doean’t. But they often aren’t necessary. So it’s worth thinking about."

Yep, and a doctor will know that and prescribe it when it's necessary.

Hold their nose, tip their head back, hold their mouth open and squirt it in. It's medicine and is medically needed so don't waste time coaxing and cajoling.

My DS was exactly like your daughter, wouldn't swallow it, had a radar for any hidden medication.
And just like your DD , got an ear infection that- because he wouldn't take the medicine got really , really bad with a huge temperature. Still wouldn't take the medicine.
We ended up having to take him to hospital on the GP's advice for an injection of antibiotics - large one time dose. So we did. He hated that more than drinking medicine.
Don't know if you have that option in the UK but it solved the ear infection, and we used it to remind him in future of what would happen if he refused his medicine in the future.

here There’s a section about antibiotics.

When dd was little we had that disgusting banana flavoured antibiotic- it was bloody hideous- we bribed with chocolate buttons. You have my sympathy. I betrayed every parenting standard to get that into her. Good luck x

"here There’s a section about antibiotics."

Okay? What's the point in posting this link?

I use to add it to my sons squash in his bottle or tippy cup.

He couldn't taste it.

assuming you are right handed, sit her on your left knee facing forward. Tuck her arm nearest you down the side of your body so she can’t move it. Get the full syringe in your right hand. Hold her free, outside arm down with your arm, and tip her back, leaning her into the crook of the left arm. Syringe a little bit of the medicine into her cheek then immediately stroke firmly downwards under her chin down her throat several times as it forces the swallowing mechanism. Repeat in small amounts until the syringe is gone.

If you get it in their mouth then stroking their throat prompts a swallow reflex.

Totally disagree with what @BertrandRussell says, by the way - no, antibiotics are not 100% necessary for an ear infection, but it’s better to persevere so you get used to giving them and she gets used to taking them than to wait until the are absolutely crucial and find you just can’t get them down her.

Our DD (2.9) hates taking medicine too (refusing, screaming, spitting it out..). We waited a few days and the temperature related to her ear infection got much worse (40+). No positive reinforcement worked (sweets, chocolates, TV, presents.. etc). In the end we had to go down the punishment route "if you don't swallow this medicine, we'll have to go back to the doctors and she'll give you a different medicine." This worked straight away and it's kind of true.. if she doesn't cooperate she may get more poorly and need to go back to the doctors.

Fair enough. The problem is that the more people take antibiotics when they aren’t needed and the more people take, or give their children half courses, the more they won’t work when it is crucial.

My DS loves taking any kind of medicine and opens his mouth excitedly when I put it on the spoon and cries because he wants more! However he got prescribed amoxicillin for an ear infection and absolutely refused to take it, I think it it tastes pretty bad. Eventually managed to disguise it in yoghurt or a fruit pot that had a similar taste, and he took some morning doses when mixed in with his weetabix. Good luck!

@FenellaMaxwell Sorry, but your comment about giving children antibiotics even when not necessary to get them used to it is just stupid!

"The problem is that the more people take antibiotics when they aren’t needed and the more people take, or give their children half courses, the more they won’t work when it is crucial."

Yes, and there has been awareness about that for at least 10 years and while it was normal before to prescribe antibiotics for everything, doctors have changed their ways since and usually only prescribe it when necessary.

To those suggesting forcing it down her throat... And cause her to aspirate?! Then they'd be really fucked. Ridiculous people!

i’d Have the battle when it was necessary, frankly. I don’t think this is something they get used to.

Wrenever your child is prescribed anything always ask what will happen if he doesn’t take it.

Nesquik hides most things strong enough

Because then if you’re struggling to get them to take it you know whether you have to persevere to the point of hysteria or not.

@SmartPlay you’ll note I said “maybe not 100% necessary”, not categorically unnecessary. I’m not a GO, nor have I examined the OP’s child. Presumably the prescribing GP felt they were. I never said you should give antibiotics when not necessary.

I had to give my two year old three months of daily antibiotics, six syringes worth in total a day. We had some limited success with bribing with a chocolate after each syringe, until he started realisIng that by not eating the chocolate he could delay the next syringe. Then we switched to one big chocolate at the end, but that wasn’t enough to persuade him to take them voluntarily. Ice cream didn’t work, yogurt didn’t work, and we needed to be sure he was getting the exact amount anyway.

Most of the time I just had to hold him with one arm clamped under my armpit as FenellaMaxwell describes. He fought me but the antibiotics went in and that was what mattered.

A bad ear infection can damage the ear and cause hearing loss so if a Dr has prescribed them they must be needed.