Our child won't take medicine

Al1x

Our 3 year old has been diagnosed with scarlet fever and needs to take antibiotics four times a day.

We have tried everything from bribery to hiding it in drinks and have tried using a syringe to put a little bit in his mouth at a time but he vomits it up straight away. I phoned the nurse who saw him first and she said there is no options, he has to have it, we could try another antibiotic but I can't see that making a difference. He is the same with calpol.

Really don't know what to do

Dollyrockerz

Sorry your little one is poorly, mine has tonsillitis at the moment but he's good about taking medicine.

Have you tried bribery? new toy or a piece of chocolate afterwards?

*max*

Any chance of telling him it's a magic potion that will make a toy appear under his pillow in the morning? I'm not for lying to children, but if needs must...

enjoyyourshoes

Cuddle them in your arms, nice and calm.
Then control their arms with the side of your body and your arm (that is not holding the syringe medicine dispenser)
Go for the mouth quickly and decisively when they are least expecting, and hey presto.
If prescribed the meds are better in the child than left I the bottle, so put away your fears and control the situation for their betterment.

Al1x

Dollyrockerz wrote: »

Sorry your little one is poorly, mine has tonsillitis at the moment but he's good about taking medicine.

Have you tried bribery? new toy or a piece of chocolate afterwards?

Aww, hope your son is better soon.

Yes we have tried that but not having any luck.

I phoned the NHS helpline and they said we can half the dose and give it to him more often but as he is off is food and drink its hard to hide it 8 times in a day!

Al1x

*max* wrote: »

Any chance of telling him it's a magic potion that will make a toy appear under his pillow in the morning? I'm not for lying to children, but if needs must...

We've tried saying its magic juice, may had to tell him a toy will appear in the morning.

Al1x

enjoyyourshoes wrote: »

Cuddle them in your arms, nice and calm.
Then control their arms with the side of your body and your arm (that is not holding the syringe medicine dispenser)
Go for the mouth quickly and decisively when they are least expecting, and hey presto.
If prescribed the meds are better in the child than left I the bottle, so put away your fears and control the situation for their betterment.

Unfortunately he starts spitting and blowing out as soon as we have him cuddled up, before he's even seen the syringe. And as soon as we get him to swallow some he vomits straight away and I have no idea how much he has actually had.

Tigsteroonie

Are you laying him down to syringe the medicine? Our son is better propped at a 45deg angle, he tends to choke/gag and vomit on medicine if he is lying fully down. We squirt tiny amounts either into his cheek or onto his tongue, depending on how co-operative he is, so a 5ml dose can take up to 10 squirts but at least it all goes in.

(Been syringing medicine to our son for over 5 years now!)

Al1x

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Are you laying him down to syringe the medicine? Our son is better propped at a 45deg angle, he tends to choke/gag and vomit on medicine if he is lying fully down. We squirt tiny amounts either into his cheek or onto his tongue, depending on how co-operative he is, so a 5ml dose can take up to 10 squirts but at least it all goes in.

(Been syringing medicine to our son for over 5 years now!)

He may be near enough flat in my arms, I'll try propping him up for his next dose.

Auntie-Dolly

Can you mix it up in some youghurt/fromage frais? Perhaps he is finding the syringe a bit daunting.

Callie22

Maybe you could try sticker chart on the wall, where he gets a shiny sticker every time and a new toy after so many stickers? My mum used to do this with me and it worked because I could see the stickers building up.