My 2 y.o. DD spent a couple of days in the hospital on I.V. antibiotics, and now that we are home, we have to give her oral antibiotics. We have tried mixing it with all kinds of food and drink, but she spits it out. We have never been able to give her liquid meds. I'm waiting to hear from the pediatrician if we can give her a tablet. We have tried using rewards, having her give us and her dolls "medicine" etc. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get her to take this medicine. I don't want her to go back to the hospital!
Hello everyone, After trying two different liquid antibiotics (we took the 2nd one to a compound pharmacy for specialty flavor, we got tablets that work with no problem. We are also letting her choose a small prize after she takes each tablet. Thank you everyone for all of your help!
Have you tried the flavor - rx - ITs like 1.99 but well worth it. Also, certains ones you would have to research it to see if you can pick it with anything.
When all else fails try holding her nose, it induces a swallow. Hope you can find something easier tho.
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I am sure that she did not like the hospital, have you tried telling her that she may have to go back there if she does not take it. (Not saying it to her in a mean way) I feel that if i tell my kids the truth it helps.
They do have some antibiotics in chewable form. I hope they call you back soon.
I put my son and the bed and while he is laying down i take the medicine syringe and put the medicine in the side of his mouth and release the medicine and it seems to work. I like the medicine dispensers they have in the childrens motrin bottle. the one from the pharmacy does not work well. make sure they flavor the medicine at the pharmacy. I know the amoxicillian comes in bubble gum flavor normally. some of those medicines taste awful.
I understand this problem. My daughter at that age had and still at 17 has the same gag reflex problem with liquid meds.
Our solution - teach her to swallow pills. (the disolvable ones didn't work either.) We used the mini baking m & m's, they are smaller than the regular ones and they don't taste bad if you don't get it down right away. This a great way to teach them when it comes to their health. Besides - easier on you! It's not that we are teaching that the pill is candy, but it sure helps.
My daughter had to start taking asthma meds orally just shortly before her 3rd birthday. She's 17 now and still has to take the maintence meds, and we never had a problem with the pill/candy issue. She knew it was medicing for her health, - only battle with the steriods she has to take on occassion - they taste bad no matter how you take them. (orange juice helps - but now she's allergic to that)
Good luck. I've taught this trick to several school and camp nurses and they love it!
Hi C.,
What is wrong with your daughter to have to take antibiotics?
Just want to know. D.
Hello,
We had a similar problem, except my son would actually gag and vomit after I gave him meds. He didn't like the flavored drugs from the pharmacy (I only tried a couple of flavors since my insurance did not allow me to buy repeated kinds!). I asked my doctor to give me the powder and I did the math to determine how much powder/dose after it is reconstituted. I then mixed the powder in a small amount of pudding (chocolate) and he would eat that without vomiting. I also had to bribe my other son once with sugarless gum, but this may not be a great solution in the long run!!! Good luck!!! (And make sure your doc prescribes drugs that do not need to be given more than once or twice a day!).
Hi C.,
i had the same problem with my son when he was two (he's now 8 and will take just about anything!) Anyway I finally got him to take it with Blue's Clues applesauce. It was bright blue, had a strong sweet flavor that masked the color and flavor of the medication, and it was a big treat because I never usually let him have it. It is hard to find now but maybe you could find some kind of sweet colored applesauce. good luck!
My son had to take oral antibiotics for repeated ear infections. We used a dosing cup, and "bribed" him with Gushers. Same idea as the gum. He knew it was important to take the meds since we were allowing him to have the Gushers, so he didn't give us a problem. Two year olds understand a little more than we give them credit for.
Good luck.
OMG I feel your pain! My daughter is 4 and 1/2 and can make herself vomit at the thought of taking meds. We have tried it all too. Eventually this last time, after 2 vomitting episodes on the first day (which was just last week) she has been taking it semi-willingly without too much of a fuss, and a reward aftewards. If I may ask what medication is it? I am a pharmacist too, some medications do not taste good at ALL. The pharmacy should be able to flavor the medication to whatever the childs liking is at an additional cost. Maybe if you let her pick what flavor she wants it to be, she might be more cooperative. The MD may also be able to change it to a once a day medication so that if there is a struggle it is only once a day. Also, a more concentrated medication, you would not have to give as much, but again depends on the med. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to hold her down to get the med in her. A syringe works best...back of the cheek, head tilted if nothing else works. Good luck :)
She may be a little young for this, but have you tried letting her do it herself? Give her the choice between you doing it (with the syringe was always the best bet for us), her drinking it from a cup that's "just her size" (that's what we called the little dosing cups that come with over the counter children's meds), or drinking it from a special spoon - the dosing spoons that the pharmacy gives you. The combination of novelty and independence/choice sometimes works. Good luck~
Here are a couple of ideas that worked for us:
1. Find a soft food she likes that she doesn't often get (maybe chocolate pudding, or ice cream). Put the meds in a small bowl with a little of the food, more of it in a bigger bowl by itself. Show her that if she eats the small amount with the medicine, she can have the bowl that is just pudding. This worked sometimes for us.
2. Get a syringe from the drug store and draw the medicine into the syringe. Show her how to place it in her mouth and push the medicine in. Tell her she can do it by herself. My sister-in-law always did this with her kids and I tried it in desperation once and was amazed that it worked for my daughter. Sometimes they just want to have the control (plus the syringe is kind of a cool new experience).
3. A sticker chart can also help-a sticker after each dose and when she's all done she earns a prize she really wants (maybe build in small prizes along the way).
Good luck!
Check nearby for a local pharmacy that can make MANY flavor choices.
OR (this is what I did) Use the syringe type dispenser...hold her down and shoot it in. Seems cruel but it's for her own good.
Try using a long bottle nipple on a ring. Measure the meds and put it in the nipple and have her drink from it. It'll go to the back of her throat before she has a chance to spit it out. Just be careful not to spill. Laying her down would probably be best and tell her it's candy juice or something. Worked for us. Worked for many others too.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
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I had the same problem when my oldest son was 2, as well. I had tried everything and he would just spit the mediciine out. Finally, I put him in his crib in "time out". he had to stay there until he would SWALLOW the medicine that I put in his favorite food (which happened to be applesauce.) It took almost 1/2 an hour the first time for us to get a dose of medicine in him, but it worked. My son is 7 1/2 years old now and he STILL takes his medicine in applesauce. (But he won't eat applesauce anymore....he just uses it for medicine.) good luck to you. I hope this helps.
