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Parenting

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How on earth do I give my dd her medicine?

28 replies

123ken · 08/04/2008 20:27

My dd has just turned 1, and we have always had a nightmare trying to give her medicine. The only way we can manage is if 2 of us hold her down and we force it in with a syringe, but half the time this doesn't work either - she spits it or vomits and it goes everywhere except down her throat. We've tried offering it respectfully on a spoon, mixing it with drinks and yoghurt and she won't have any of it. I have just been given a course of antibiotics for her and the first attempt this evening resulted in medicine all over her, me, the floor and furniture and none in her. She was also very upset and I had to go into the other room and cry in frustration. I really wish I could crack this as it seems so cruel, and the older she gets the less successful it is. At this point I have no idea how we will get any of the antibiotics in her. She is not really old enough yet for bribery either.
Please, any tips will be tried and tested - I'm desperate!

OP posts:
taliac · 10/04/2008 00:27

i told dd (20m) that honey was medicine (almost accurate!) and let her have spoonfuls of it now and again to treat her "cough".

then with calpol / nurofen it was "do you want some pink / orange medecine today as a special treat?"

worked pretty well for a while. not much use for meds that arent sweet tho.

runtus · 10/04/2008 14:08

My son is exactly the same - have tried the lot and only had success with:

For pain relief - I have suppositories on prescription from the Dr. He doesn;t like then at all but at least I know he has had the full dose and it is over in 3 secs. Always administer before putting him to bed if he is ill.

For antibiotics - ask the Dr for white coloured medicine only and the shortest course available to cut down on the trauma. Hiding it in full flavoured foods works best i.e fruit pots or custard pots......but be clever and let them eat majority first and then slip the medicine into the last couple of mouthfuls to ensure they take the full dose.

Back up with chocolate buttons and try not to worry about not finishing the course too much - any medicine is better than none!

NoBiggy · 10/04/2008 14:15

DD1 wouldn't have medicine. If it ended in a fight she'd sick it up. Happily she'll have it now (she's 4).

For DD2 (who is far more compliant anyway) I have some things that look like graduated test tubes with spoons on the end. I can measure out the dose, set it down, get DD2 on my lap with her arms tucked in and head secure and give it to her off the spoon, a little at a time. And have her angled back so it goes down the hatch.

You can find these things (usually in kits with useless nail clippers and snot suckers) in places like Poundland. Also seen them in Morrisons I think.

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