How to get 2 year old to take tablets

[jadedinsomniac]

So 2 year old has scarlet fever. There are no liquid antibiotics in my area and it could be another 4 days but that's not even a guarantee so they've given us tablets
Not allowed to crush them
I've got to stick them on her tongue and give her a drink. All she does is gag and spit them out.
I'm sorta at a loss really
Any suggestions?

www.cclg.org.uk/CSOIR/Taking-tablets-and-medicines

No. You cannot cut it up in any way.

Either the OP's daughter swallows the pills whole or not at all.

This is wrong. Please stop it. Even the SPC says it can be halved.

www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/10628/smpc#gref

Thank you @flomp and @WiseUpJanetWeiss. I not currently practising so was not aware of this - checked medicines for children, enteral feeding tube handbook and don’t rush to crush for OP before replying but all published before recent problems.

OP follow advice from link these 2 posters have put and go ahead and crush. As has been mentioned, no one with penicillin allergy to crush or handle tablets

It's NHS advice.

Swallow phenoxymethylpenicillin tablets whole. Do not chew or break them.

www.nhs.uk/medicines/phenoxymethylpenicillin/how-and-when-to-take-phenoxymethylpenicillin/

Perhaps the OP should seek proper medical advice rather than randoms on the internet.

Goodness that’s a task and a half. Wishing you luck.

So is what I posted which was written by NHSE pharmacists. Also, I posted the SPC for one of them which is the definitive advice which says the tablets can be split.

Perhaps the OP should seek proper medical advice rather than randoms on the internet.

Yes I couldn't agree more, which is why I posted the most up to date advice.

I'm not a medic. I'm just going from what I was told by a doctor. I'm glad to know there's more up to date advice.

I hope it helps the OP to get the tablets down her daughter.

@Clymene the advice posted by @WiseUpJanetWeiss is more up to date than yours and is pertinent to the current outbreak and shortage.

The SpC is data the manufacturer produces for medication they make and is also a very reliable source. The poster is clearly in a medical profession as they are quoting all the websites professionals go to

I tried to call the pharmacy and the go surgery and was on hold for over an hour with no luck and then the phone cut out

I'm going to have a walk to my local one today and go from there. Husband was at work so couldn't go yesterday cos little one was feeling crappy and did not want to leave the house

Thanks for everyone's advice

www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-solid-oral-dosage-form-antibiotics-in-childrenXV0v

This is a legitimate and reliable reference but understand the difficulty in being able to verify any of our qualifications/identity. Show it to your pharmacist and ask them to verify you can follow the advice on it

I don't know what to do

I went to the pharmacist who said I can segment them but I am not to crush them and all I can do is go back to the gp who prescribed them and ask if I can have something else. There is no liquid antibiotics. I haven't got one antibiotic down her

She's covered in an angry red rash from head to toe. Her temperature is high. She's crying. I'm half tempted to just go to a and e. I've tried 111 and got told they'd call me back in 2 hours. That was 6 hours ago.

I appreciate there's a shortage but what the hell do I do.
I'm not scared of going to a and e but I know what she has. I just can't treat it. I have tried everything suggested and more.

After reading your thread OP I'd go to A+E. I wouldnt be taking any more chances or faffing about trying to get your child to swallow a tablet.
I'm sure the staff at a+e will understand. She's a 2 year old .. even my 4 year old wouldn't swallow a tablet, heck even I have trouble and I'm 38!

God how worrying. There is another thread where apparently the deputy chief pharmacist has said it's okay to crush

Tablet antibiotics www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/4694991-tablet-antibiotics

I'm going to a and e. Her temperature is bang on 40 and I'm not faffing anymore. En route now

You do right. Better to be safe! I hope she's ok and recovers soon.

I'm probably a bit late with this suggestion but the way my kids learned to swallow tablets is to hold a sip of water in their mouth and squeeze the tablet through closed lips and then just swallow. It stops the problem of the tablet being stuck on their tongue.

With ddog we coat it in Nutella (yes I know dogs aren't meant to have chocolate but he's made it to 12)

Ps the Lidl own brand Nutella is nice

Dd has taken tablets since 2 (refused the liquid) successfully but they were quite small

Is there here any other pharmacies you can go to, even the hospital pharmacy?

Thanks flomp!! Just gave my boy his amox in a shot of squash!!!

If there isn’t a shortage of liquid then why can’t anyone get any ? In my local area we have 15 pharmacies and all said they can’t get it this is a London borough too . I know we are told there’s no shortage but there clearly is

Just got to a and e. There's a massive shortage in my local area. We couldn't get any at all

According to official sources there are plenty, but they are in manufacturers' and wholesalers' warehouses and not where they need to be. If this is true they will materialise in pharmacies over the next week or so.