How to get toddler to take multiple medications

[Sarahlouise86]

My son had an operation last week. We have multiple medications he needs to take such as antibiotics, anti spasms, pain relief etc. Each one taken multiple times a day for the next 7 days.

But he hates them and is refusing to take them. I've tired bribing with chocolate, putting them in a bit of juice, letting him hold the doser. None of it worked. We're now at the stage we have to lie him down and put them in his mouth which he obviously hates and is fighting it.

Have we missed anything else we could try??? I don't want to put him through a week of this and I won't be able to do it when my husband is at work as it takes two of us.

Poor thing - it's the worst (for you both!)

Try petit filous type yogurts, crush the medicine/ add the medicine however and stir it all in

Milkshake similar

Frozen slushies- freeze his tastebuds a bit beforehand so the taste of medicine is less noticeable

Having something that's his favourite for immediately afterwards?

I used to give antibiotics through the night.
They just swallowed and grimaced in their sleep.

It's a bit of a pain having to get up but so much less stress.

Although I guess you'd need to give pain relief through the day?

I'll probably get flamed for this, but have you tried putting it on a spoon of sugar? If the medication has sweeteners in it it will be nasty (when mine was little I used to taste their medicine so I could gauge what to expect)

Sounds awful but I take my toddler by surprise by going behind him before he has been the syringe of medicine. Whole 5ml dose goes in quickly1 at once and then I cup his chin in my hand (gently!) so his mouth is closed quickly and he seems to swallow it most times!

Antibiotics at night also worked for us.
Also, bribery.