How do you get them to take foul medicine
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: Toddler Times
Forum Description: Is bubs growing up and getting into everything? How do you train them to use the potty? When do you start feeding solids? Share your tips and advice here!
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Topic: How do you get them to take foul medicine
Posted By: MrsMojo
Subject: How do you get them to take foul medicine
Date Posted: 31 March 2008 at 10:00pm
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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. -------------  
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Replies:
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 31 March 2008 at 10:25pm
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we use a squirter dispenser for those nasty ones....but they only measure up to 3mls...but the whole top included is about 5-7 mls to give her in one go...measure first to be sure...
have a lolly she likes at ready perhaps to make sure she knows she did good? and to take away the taste... being allergic to penicillen im not much help otherwise! 
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 01 April 2008 at 11:23am
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. |
Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 01 April 2008 at 11:37am
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I just rang my medical centre and spoke to the nurse. She said the best thing to do is to use a dropper or syringe (minus the needle) and put it in their mouth between the teeth and cheek 1/2 to 1mls at a time (which is going to take ages).
She's spat out about 30mls + over the past couple of days (she spat right in DH's face this morning) so I'm going back to the docs this afternoon as I wonder if we need more - surely they have a nicer tasting medicine, I might ask. Maybe I could crush some amoxcyllin and shove it into her milk/food. -------------
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 01 April 2008 at 8:17pm
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* -------------
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RachandJack wrote:Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 10:55am
| Ooo that sounds better. I've been hiding Jacks in strawberry milk so luckily he only ended up missing one dose. Hes feeling heaps better now so I'm hoping he will start eating more things to hide it in. |
Posted By: lottieandharry
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 4:58pm
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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. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 7:53pm
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We're hiding the new antibiotic in 50 mls of warm milk and it's working a treat. We give it to her when she normally has her bottle but we only give her a small amount of milk to ensure she drinks it all then top up her bottle once she's finished.
The toe still looks like a li8ttle fat sausage but the redness is now only at the top of the toe so that's a good sign (I think). How's Jacks medicine ordeal going Rach? Hope he's feeling better too. -------------
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