# Help! how to get toddler to take medicine?



## pinkcat (Dec 3, 2008)

I have just had the most awful day trying to get my almost 2 year old to take his antibiotics. He has an eye infection and the doctor  prescribed a five day course of antibiotics in liquid form. I managed to get the first dose in with a syringe but he was really distraught. He cried his heart then fell asleep on me. The next dose was a bit worse as he knew what was coming, again cried a lot and fell asleep on me. However, the 3rd dose at bedtime, he was very distressed, gagged and coughed and then threw up everywhere    He was so distressed and took ages to calm down and clean up. Even when I just picked up the syringe to put away, he saw it and started bawling his eyes out again and had to be cuddled and calmed down. Don't know what to do now as I'm supposed to do this for another 4 days!


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## nichub (Sep 2, 2010)

Hi pinkcat, I'm guessing it's either flucloxicillin or penicillin, they both taste awful!! How old is he, I do have a trick but it can only be for toddler age and up really! 

Nic
Xx


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## pinkcat (Dec 3, 2008)

Hi nichub, Yes it is flucloxicillin. I thought it must taste bad from the look on his face and his reaction. He is quite good at taking calpol as that tastes quite nice. He is nearly 2. I tried giving him a chocolate button with the second lot but that didn't make any difference.


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## nichub (Sep 2, 2010)

Why not try a bit of nuttela or jam on a spoon and mix a little bit of medicine with it, it may take a couple of spoonfuls but It should disguise the taste quite well, I advised my friend of this when giving flucloxicillin and she said its the only thing that she found would work so if your happy as a one off giving chocolate spread or jam give it a try

Nic
Xx


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## pinkcat (Dec 3, 2008)

ok thanks, I might try that. I just feel so guilty over him throwing up today    I feel like it's all my fault and I shouldn't have pushed him to take it, but I didn't see how else to get it in him


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## nichub (Sep 2, 2010)

Pinkcat, I have done the exact same thing as you loads of time, when a child needs medicine you just have to sometimes be cruel to be kind, and to be honest, in a hospital setting we would never mix medicine with jam or anything because it's difficult to measure how much they have had if the don't get it all and I would have just given it like you had! 
Let me know if my trick works

Nic
Xx


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## pinkcat (Dec 3, 2008)

Oh dear, it's been a bit of a disaster. I tried mixing it with his fruit compote and he took the first spoon but realised what was in it and then just absolutely refused the rest. I went back to the syringe but he has got really clever at holding it in his mouth and spitting it out the sides. I think he is only probably only getting a quarter of the dose down each time which is pretty useless. If he still has a red eye by monday I guess I will have to call the doc again and see what else they can advise.


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## nichub (Sep 2, 2010)

You could go to the pharmacy and buy some chloramphenicol drops over the counter for an eye infection, 

I usually find that by putting the syringe right at the side next to the cheek and right near the back it misses most of the taste buds and they are less likely to spit it out, sorry my trick didn't work for you

Nic
Xx


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