Help- Kids & medication

almond1123

C has his first ever ear infection (both ears) and an inflamed throat.  We got ear drops for him which he will let us put in but he will not take the antibiotics orally at all.  We have begged and tried to sneak it into something else.  

Do you ladies have any tricks for success?  I think it's a flavor issue so we are going to get the script reissued and head to target to get a flavor he might like.  If that doesn't work I'm at a loss.  Do they make pills for kiddos that can be smashed into food.  I'm sure that might taste worse than the liquid.  I don't want him in a hospital just for an antibiotic IV.  Urghhhh

He's miserable so if he'd just take it he'd feel so much better.

TIA.

SigmundsGirl

I am so sorry you guys are going through this. Evan has been on meds since he was a week old (reflux) and at first he would take it no problem, now even Tylenol is a fight.

We use grape flavoring in his Rx (I'm not sure what flavor you tried) and it seems okay. We also make sure the medicine isn't already flavored. We were give a Rx once that already had a mint flavor (we didn't know) and we added grape to it. It wasn't a sucess.

We now put his daily dose in his last cup of milk for the day and he doesn't seem to notice. The only danger with putting it in something is if he won't drink it all.

Good luck.

04JaxBride

i know this is only milidly better than an IV, but the doc might be able to give him a shot... esp. if the infection is really bad.

: (  good luck.  claire now hates anything cherry-flavored because she says it tastes like medicine.  i'm not sure she liked it much in the first place, but she definitely hates it now.

oh wow, minty grape.  that's like orange juice after you brush your teeth. 

mom2ll

The flavoring has saved us.  There are tons to choose from.  Ours like grape and cherry.  They BEG for it. 

Little tip, give it to him in the bath tub.  If he does spit it out the mess will be easier to clean up and it won't be all over his clothes.  That stuff stains. 

We also let the kids hold the thing and push the plunger themselves.  They really like being in charge of the process.

KelleyA

Amelia is tough with medicine. We hide it in her juice or milk (strawberry milk hides a LOT of medicine flavors) or we bribe her with candy or something she loves. The poor kid has been through the ringer with 21 day stretches of medicine that tastes awful and we've had to force it in her, bribe her and flat out yell at her. The more patient we are with her and the more control we give her the better. We let her hold the dropper and let her squirt it into her mouth, she loves that independence and power. I feel you on the frustration!

rayskit10

Putting it in something sounds so much more kind than what I do: put it in a syringe and stick in the back corner of their mouths. Basically, they are forced to swallow. Tru is easy with meds but Mathis isn't and this works every time. Once I get him on my lap and in the wrestling hold, that is.

ramee151

Learned this tip while nannying: if they are having a screaming fit while you are trying to administer meds: squirt meds in open mouth and blow in their face. They will reflexively close their mouths and swallow before starting to scream again. 

C might be a little old for this one though... 

michellebelle

Ditto to Rayskit.  And you can't put antibiotics in strawberry milk to make them effective (tylenol, etc. probably fine).

Joel also holds her nose for her but I don't have the patience for that.  The only problem with the syringe is now M will clamp her mouth closed.  Nothing like the wrestling hold AND prying her mouth open like a dog to give it ITS medicine.  Thankfully with liquids we don't have to rub her throat to make her swallow.

BUT - Target antibiotics strawberry flavor, M begs for that like it's a treat!

step2mom2010

rayskit10:

Putting it in something sounds so much more kind than what I do: put it in a syringe and stick in the back corner of their mouths. Basically, they are forced to swallow. Tru is easy with meds but Mathis isn't and this works every time. Once I get him on my lap and in the wrestling hold, that is.

This!  I also at times have to lay him down and then put the syringe in the back, and then blow on his face so he will swallow it, if not I get it spit right back at me.

I love the bath tub idea.  No mess!

Suzi-G-

rayskit10:

Putting it in something sounds so much more kind than what I do: put it in a syringe and stick in the back corner of their mouths. Basically, they are forced to swallow. Tru is easy with meds but Mathis isn't and this works every time. Once I get him on my lap and in the wrestling hold, that is.

Cooper is usually pretty easy w/ meds but when he isn't I do what V does.  It sounds mean but it's the quickest way to get it done.  I hold him in my lap facing out, cross my leg over his, use my left arm/shoulder to pin his arms down and hold his head still and slightly tilted back against my shoulder, syringe in the corner of his mouth, two squirts (all at once can be too much and it comes back out) and we're done.

almond1123

We will try the bathtub tonight.  Maybe the distraction will help.  The back of the throat trick doesn't work.  He gagged himself into throwing it up last night.  Fun.

starlettedir

step2mom2010:

rayskit10:

Putting it in something sounds so much more kind than what I do: put it in a syringe and stick in the back corner of their mouths. Basically, they are forced to swallow. Tru is easy with meds but Mathis isn't and this works every time. Once I get him on my lap and in the wrestling hold, that is.

This!  I also at times have to lay him down and then put the syringe in the back, and then blow on his face so he will swallow it, if not I get it spit right back at me.

I love the bath tub idea.  No mess!

I was wondering if the burrito method you use on cats would be mean ;-)

CindyandScott

No suggestions here but Hugs!

My kids love taking medicine so much it's scary.

SigmundsGirl

michellebelle:

BUT - Target antibiotics strawberry flavor, M begs for that like it's a treat!

Good to know for the next time!

KNJepp

Cameron generally does well with meds, but antibiotics (amoxicillan) proved difficult for us, I think b/c of the sheer amount.  Because it was so much going in his mouth all at once, the syringe was a big, fat FAIL (even though he does just fine with Motrin via syringe).  We had great luck spoon-feeding the amoxicillan to him, strangely enough. 

step2mom2010

starlettedir:

step2mom2010:

rayskit10:

Putting it in something sounds so much more kind than what I do: put it in a syringe and stick in the back corner of their mouths. Basically, they are forced to swallow. Tru is easy with meds but Mathis isn't and this works every time. Once I get him on my lap and in the wrestling hold, that is.

This!  I also at times have to lay him down and then put the syringe in the back, and then blow on his face so he will swallow it, if not I get it spit right back at me.

I love the bath tub idea.  No mess!

I was wondering if the burrito method you use on cats would be mean ;-)

Whatever it takes! Kolby is MUCH better about taking meds and will take them out of the little cup now. But I would do the burrito method if I had to. 

LisaK2b

rayskit10:

Putting it in something sounds so much more kind than what I do: put it in a syringe and stick in the back corner of their mouths. Basically, they are forced to swallow. Tru is easy with meds but Mathis isn't and this works every time. Once I get him on my lap and in the wrestling hold, that is.

this.

But my new solution lately to make it a little less of a headache is holding a juice box.  I hold the juice box (not her), and so I let her ship the straw once, pull it back and then squirt a little meds from the syringe.  Then she'll fuss a little, but I let her take another sip of juice, take it back and put the syringe in her mouth right away.  It takes about 4-5 turns like that before all the meds are gone from the syriinge.