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Original poster

Help. DD is refusing medicine.

36 replies

haveyourcakeandeatit · 29/10/2022 20:14

DD is 17 months and has a fever, her temp has been up and down for the last 24 hours. DH and I have been alternating calpol and ibuprofen but the problem is that she absolutely hates taking it, we have to pin her down and try getting as much in her mouth little by little. Most of it she pushes out anyway.

Tbh she's always been like this and when she was smaller we could easily hide it in her milk. But nowadays I think she's wise to it.

It's becoming so distressing for both DD and us that I dread the next upcoming dose.

Please can anyone share your experiences or tips on how to make this less scary for us all.

Many thanks

OP posts:
ThingsIhavelearnt · 29/10/2022 20:16

Just force it in as much as you can unfortunately
gently and soothing but they do normally turn a corner and take it willingly when older

weewill · 29/10/2022 20:17

Does she need it? You don't need to give her both pain relief for a fever..

Eeiliethya · 29/10/2022 20:18

Ditch the Ibuorofen and stick with the Calpol.

Do you have actual Calpol and not the generic paracetamol?

The strawberry Calpol (with sugar, not SF) should go down easier.

Good luck!

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Hugasauras · 29/10/2022 20:18

Does she really need it? Fevers are the body's way of fighting off infections and bugs and don't always necessarily need to be medicated.

justasking111 · 29/10/2022 20:20

Friend uses yoghurt to hide it

RosesAndHellebores · 29/10/2022 20:23

I had one like this. Ask the GP for suppositories. Much less stressful for baby and parent. Absolutely the done thing on the Continent. They can rationalise from about three.

Cantchooseaname · 29/10/2022 20:24

Ibuprofen lasts longer than calpol.
can you wrap her up in a blanket/ swaddle/towel with firm hold, the squirt 1/3 dose into corner of cheek, followed immediately/simultaneously with choc button?
it’s not fun, but done quickly and over, if she needs it. Hopefully better soon!

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 29/10/2022 20:27

Bribery. Whatever it takes. Need to start with it. Doesn't work if they are already resisting and upset.

Or the injection type spoon that comes sometimes. You can squirt it down their throats like a cat. 😳

My kids hate the stuff too. Pharmacists just look at you when you ask for unflavoured. It just doesn't exist.

Mine are older now so will if really bad swallow a tablet cut in two. You could halve a tablet and crush it if really desperate but you would need to be so very careful with the dosage and their weight. I wouldn't do it without guidance from someone medical.

notmyrealmoniker · 29/10/2022 20:28

If she's well in herself she really doesn't need it. If it's 40+ I would try but usually they are so lethargic they don't object. Don't give just for a minor fever. It's not advised by the nhs

notmyrealmoniker · 29/10/2022 20:29

Save the forcing issue for necessary meds like antibiotics

NannyR · 29/10/2022 20:30

I would also agree that if it is just a temperature and she is ok in herself and not in pain, I wouldn't give any meds.

Buttons0522 · 29/10/2022 20:32

Try own brand paracetamol and not calpol. No idea why but mine have always put up a fight with calpol but not the cheap stuff! Other techniques include swaddling in a blanket to keep arms away, dipping a dummy, using spoon rather than syringe, bribery and trickery!

Beachsidesunset · 29/10/2022 20:37

Orange flavoured ibuprofen in an orange fruit shoot. Judge away, it worked Smile

2bazookas · 29/10/2022 20:41

One of you hold her in your arms, with her arms gently held against her body so she can't escape. The other draws up the correct dose in a plastic syringe, insert the tip into the corner of her mouth and squirt.

All over in a moment and so much easier than a spoon.

Ahwig · 29/10/2022 20:51

My mum used to tell me this story that apparently when I was this age and quite poorly the doctor came to my house to see me. My dad said they couldn’t get me to take the medicine ( which is probably why I wasn’t getting better) . He was a proper old fashioned gp think doctor Cameron in doctor Finlay. His reply was “oh don’t be ridiculous “ he tipped me upside down and apparently i gulped it down probably in shock 😂.So in the future anytime I couldn’t or wouldn’t swallow the medicine upside down I went. Never had to tried it with my own son he was better at taking medicine than his mother was.

mydudero · 29/10/2022 20:51

Personally I would ignore all PP's advice against giving meds for a fever and try to get it into your DD if you can. I alternate calpol and nurofen when our DD has a high temp until the fever breaks, as the Gp has advised on multiple occasions. I know that anytime I have a fever it's because some virus or infection is making me feel like crap, and if she can't tell you yet I see no harm in giving it for a day or two.

But also, and I don't mean to scare you at all but it's just something to be aware of.. when my nephew was a toddler he had a febrile seizure due to having a fever. It only ever happened the once, and when my DD had covid last year the doctor did say it would most likely happen right at the start of the fever if it was going to happen at all to put my mind at ease (she was already about a day into the fever). My sister said it terrified her at the time, and it's the main reason I don't hesitate to medicate at the first sign of fever.

DD now loves them both, but at the time she had covid it was like you were trying to perform an exorcism getting either of them into her. What we found worked in the end was using a spoon rather than the syringe, and letting her put sprinkles on it before taking it. It worked a treat and sprinkles are no longer needed!

dontknowwhatisbest · 29/10/2022 20:55

Have you been told by a medic that you need to treat the fever? Otherwise I personally I wouldn't unless it was high enough to cause be causing real distress.

dontknowwhatisbest · 29/10/2022 20:58

Also I believe that the current understanding is that lowering fevers with paracetamol/ibuprofen does not reduce the likelihood of febrile seizures.

bookdown · 29/10/2022 21:22

My son refused for a time. If it's just for a fever I don't force it. He sleeps through it and fights it off without.

Amoozbooze · 29/10/2022 21:29

I also wouldn't give her it if she isn't uncomfortable. The fever is her body's natural way of fighting the infection itself. Make sure she drinks other fluids and feels comfortable.

sadiewt · 29/10/2022 21:55

Never heard of not giving medicine when child has a temperature! Fail to see how child will be 'well in themselves' when they have a fever...Confused?
2 person job, calpol in syringe little by little down back of throat with time to swallow, do something reassuring like sing a song (and cuddle after with reassurance that you know it's not nice but medicine can help.

BryceQuinlanTheFirst · 29/10/2022 21:57

Doesn't help you right now but you can buy paracetamol suppositories, or get them prescribed, it's a 2 sec grumble (we dip it in olive oil) vs what was absolute hell resulting in him repeatedly vomiting calpol. I'd never go back now

prettylittlethingss · 29/10/2022 22:03

I mix it in with strawberry yoghurt!

prettylittlethingss · 29/10/2022 22:04

And I would definitely give medicine to my child with a fever.

Allsnotwell · 29/10/2022 22:05

Put it in a spoon and press down on her tongue gently and she’s forced to swallow - test this on yourself

if giving food do a quick swap.