How do you get medicine into a child who simply refuses to take medicine?

[sloane]

ginger, it sounds like my DS is very similar to yours. i've tried mixing things in drinks/yoghurt/food & somehow he can just sense it. even if i've gone to great pains to hide it while he's nowhere near.

unfortunately we've mostly resorted to the holding him down & i hope that as he gets older, he'll understand the concept of a treat afterwards. i have also used the baby panadol as well as it's a far smaller dose. the chemist told me there wasn't a huge difference, esp not at that age, more just one is a bigger amount for them to take. no idea if that's completely accurate though.

it's not a nice process, that's for sure.

[Ginger]

ok, thanks ladies
the dymadon one sounds a lot better. will ask for it at the chemist.

can you get the suppository over the counter?

i am trying to get antibiotics into him at the moment. total nightmare.
i ended up putting it in a small bottle of juice but i think he knows it's in there and won't finish the bottle.

[onthefly]

Yeah, you can get them over the counter. but maybe ring ahead just in case they don't have it.

[Kmn]

As for the spoon - if I have to I use the measuring tablespoon!
Can you give him something strong tasting beforehand (e.g. dark chocolate) and then try?
Some of the antibiotics must taste vile - we are having to use bigger bribes to get cephalexin in than we used to need for amoxil.

The doctor mentioned to me that in some cases you can get the chemist to make it up with a different flavour - don't know if that would help.

[sas85]

Had to mix it in a thick shake for DD1. Now she loves medicine though, wants it whenever DD2 has it whether she needs it or not. Go figure.

[Astrid]

We found what helped us was childcare. DD2 has an awesome carer that she really clicks with, she managed to get her to take medicine (she had a horrid UTI at the time) and since then she has been brilliant with it. We do have to add water to some types, especially if they are quite thick. I have no idea what she did, but it was magic!

[nickle730]

The infant Panadol requires you to use a smaller dose than the childrens one. Work out what the recommended dose is in mls/kg and titrate to your DS's weight. At least you won't have to get so much in, 9mls is a lot!!

My DS vomits on contact with Panadol and can't have ibuprofen so I use the suppositories for him. It's easy, but make sure you use a tiny bit of KY or a similar lube with them!