Getting 2.5yo to take medicine

[Carrie]

Hi there,
My little girl has pharngitis atm and has been given an antibiotic liquid to take 3 times daily. She's usually fantastic at taking medicine but this time she has decided to put her foot down and refuses it. I tried everything from reasoning to bribery and ended up having to try to force it down however she just spat it out.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to get her to take it?

Thanks

[Trish]

Carrie, I have no real solution for you hun. My kids are medicine junkies. If we do ever have a hassle we just hold them back and put the syringe at the back of their mouths and squirt it. Keep a good hold of her though until she swallows it down.

Huge hugs to you and I hope Kyla gets better soon

[Schmickers]

Get someone to help. One person sits her on their lap, with one arm wrapped around their arms to stop them hitting, and the other around her forehead to keep her head still.

The second person squirts the medicine down the side of her cheek pouch. If she's really stubborn, you can hold her nose as well, then she has to swallow. But don't squirt it directly into the back of her throat, in case she chokes.

[nikbrad]

Have you tired to let her do it with the syringe? This always worked well for us and then I would give her a small bit of chocolate (her favourite thing) afterwards. I also have a chemist close by who can add flavouring to medicine so I always go with Chocolate flavour and it's always a winner. Goodluck, wait until you have to try eye drops.....not fun at all.

[Carrie]

Thanks so much for your suggestions. Well I tried mixing in a bit of drinking chocolate, I tried letting her give it to herself with a syringe, I tried holding her with mum and blocking her nose and the only thing we ended up with is a huge tantrum and chocolate medicine all over the place.
I've come to the conclusion that it is not worth the heartache for the little that the antibiotics will do. I figure she'll get over it eventually and if not they'll just have to give tablets or an injection - i'm sure it go of its own accord though.
Ahh the joys of motherhood lol