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

**Ginger** · September 6th, 2011, 02:20 PM

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** · September 6th, 2011, 02:23 PM

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

**Kmn** · September 6th, 2011, 04:48 PM

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** · September 6th, 2011, 06:24 PM

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** · September 6th, 2011, 06:55 PM

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** · September 6th, 2011, 07:11 PM

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!

**leckert** · September 6th, 2011, 07:35 PM

We use dymadon here ds would spit out panadol so now we just use dymadon and send an extra bottle with him to cc in case he needs some during the day

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk so sorry if I'm confusing you

**HotI** · September 6th, 2011, 07:50 PM

yeah, i think dymadon is the one that DD will take too.

**lilima** · September 6th, 2011, 07:56 PM

Rectal panadol def works.

**Sopdet** · September 6th, 2011, 08:13 PM

If you can go down the tablet path, you can grind it up and mix it with something like soft copha, make it into a small ball and use it as a suppository.

**AnyDream** · September 6th, 2011, 10:39 PM

Experiment with different brands as they taste different. Also, as nickle said, if you get the infant sort (and work it out based on J's weight) it will be a smaller amount of medicine to take. I used to get more success by syringing it into her cheek, followed by a lolly or spoon of honey bribe.

**~StarBright~** · September 7th, 2011, 05:55 PM

I feel your pain Ginger!!!!

Ds has just needed to start antibiotics and he is flatly refusing to take them. He happily takes nurophen, but the taste of this stuff is just so gross he wont take it!! And whats worse is that with these antibiotics he has to have them on an empty stomach - so we cant just mix it in a drink and hope he drinks it (even though he isnt, like you say he knows and just wont drink it!!!)

We tried pinning him down this morning, and he spat it out, I just couldnt get the syringe in right. So far we have wasted four doses of th emedicine in just trying to actually get him to consume one dose!!

I think i might need to go back to the dr and try for some tablets!!!!

**Ginger** · September 16th, 2011, 09:57 AM

i just wanted to update this thread for anyone who is going through the same thing we are.

i ended up taking ds2 back to the dr as i knew we had not been able to get the whole course of ABs into him- no matter what we tried, it did not work.

the dr prescribed us a second course of stronger Abs- this time in tablet form. i have been melting a couple of caramel buds (like white chocolate drops) in the microwave until they are soft and then squashing the tablet into the melted chocolate and sticking two buds together and letting it reform itms? then once it is hard again, i have been giving him a little bowl with 3 caramel buds (including the one with the tablet in it) and watching him eat them. so far so good!!!!