How do you get them to take foul medicine

I've already put this in a different thread but I need all the help I can get.

Michaela has an infected toe after stubbing it several times last week (I suspect she was giving her constantly grazed knees a rest). Anyway I took her to the docs tonight and he prescribed penycillin. She needs to take 7mls 3 x per day 1 hour before food or 2 hours after. This would be fine expect that the neon pink concoction tastes foul and can't even be disguised by a bottle of really sweet cordial (yep, tried that trick already, don't let the dental health nurse find out).

What do I do? Tonight after trying several methods (i.e. different medicine dispensars, disguising the flavour, letting her sppon it out herself) I ended up physically holding her down with my leg across her arms and chest to keep her from struggling out of my grip, one hand holding her head in place with the other holding the medicine then I waited until she screamed with her mouth wide enough that I could get the medicine in so far she couldn't spit it back out again. Even then I doubt she got more than half and I had to wash her face and hair afterwards. More than anything else I felt awful, I think that I was absolutely cruel force feeding medicine her. There's no way DH and I can do that 3 x per day.

She's too young to really understand why we have to give the medicine to her. How can I coax/cajole/trick my little lady into taking this awful stuff?

nb: sorry about the spelling, can't be bothered going to fridge and finding out what actual spelling on medicine bottle is.

Sorry I have no help cos I'm in the same boat we have to give 5 mls 4 times a day. I've held him down a few times but all that happens is it comes straight back up

I've rung healthline and they said try ice cream, fruit puree, jam anything really to hide the taste. We had a good thing going chocolate milkshakes yesterday but now hes cracked on to that. She said use anything you don't mind if they refuse after all this so milk isn't a very good idea cos its quite important but who cares if they never touch chocolate milk again.

Good luck and let me know if you come up with anything that works.

RachandJack wrote: Good luck and let me know if you come up with anything that works.

I went back to the doc today and he gave me a different antibiotic to try. His attitude was basically if she won't swallow it then it'll do no good anyway so we may as well try something else, unfortunately this new one might not work either and if it doesn't improve or gets worse she'll need to go on an iv.

She wouldn't let me give her this one in a medicine dispenser either but the flavour is mild enough that I managed to hide it in her milk bottle. Plus this one is only 5mls 2x per day after meals so that'll be easier *fingers crossed it'll work*

We had the same problem about a month ago and with penicillin too. We were physically holding her down she was screaming and gagging then she was so upset afterwards she sobbed 'mummy' over and over again for about 10mins after and that was 5ml 4 times a day. After about 2 goes we went back to the doctor and got a different antibiotic which after a lot of coaxing we managed to get into her. Why they give kids stuff that is so foul tasting I don't know. It's not like they understand taking it will make them better!! I hope you manage to get it into her poor wee poppet.