Ds has strep throat. I posted this morning but my post disappeared....

This is his first time taking medication and he absolutely refuses. I snuck the antibiotic into hot chocolate(lukewarm actually) this morning. He got most of the dose in, but ended up being allergic to it.

Now he is taking clarithromycin.I tried to sneak it into juice but he tasted it and freaked. He goes completely ballistic! Dh tried to get him to take a dose the first night with the penicillin and he promptly threw it all up(good thing too-seeing as how he was allergic to it).

Now he is on his guard and sniffing everything I give him very suspiciously...

I have to give him this stuff 2 times a day for 10 days and my stomach gets tight every time I even contemplate it!

How do all you moms do this???

fiona

By Feona on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 06:41 am:

How about in the apple juice? He has to drink all the apple juice though.

Bribe him with candy.

By Missymelissy on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 06:54 am:

Try mixing it in with apple sauce -- or some kind of food - jello.

BTDT, it's not fun. (((HUGS)))

By Kittycat_26 on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 06:59 am:

I hate to say this as everyone else is giving such "nice" solutions. My pediatrician told me to try everything I could but if he has to have it use a syringe and make him take it. Because this is the only way that I can get Timmy to take liquid medicine, I only give it to him when I really need to.

By Marg on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 07:27 am:

I guess I'm like Amanda.

First the girls ask when we go to the drs if they have to get a shot. I'll say I don't know, the dr will tell us.

Once they are relieved they do not get a shot, the taste of medicine comes up. I tell them it's better than a shot or going to the hospital. That makes them think and are most likely to take the medicine.

If all else fails, tell them if they want to feel better they must take the medicine.

I must say I have never had any problems giving medicine. However, like Amanda, the last infection (sinus) our middle daughter had he gave her a syringe (like Amanda posted). I didn't know why, and he said once she tasted it you'll know why. She was a trooper and took the medicine.

Maybe this is a good question for Melanie and Love and Logic.

He really needs to take the medicine (we've all had strep so I know how bad he feels)

I hope he takes the medicine it will make him feel better.

By Kaye on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 08:01 am:

If you have to force him to take medicine, make sure you use this line. "you need to take your medicine, you have two choices I can give it to you, or you can take it like a big boy". If he won't take it, then lay him on the ground, sit on him, take the syringe and squirt it as close to the back of his mouth as you can (don't choke him..lol) and then blow real fast so he won't spit it back at you. Not fun, but Really if you make it very clear that it was his choice, usually by the second or third time they will pick to take it by themselves.

By Bobbie on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 08:45 am:

We have one DD that we had to pin down every time. It wasn't fun but something we had to do. I would be crying by time it was over but I knew it was for her benefit. I would straddle her and pin her arms and DH would hold her head straight. Then I would use the syringe to shoot it into the back of her mouth. I wore more than she took for the first couple of years but adventualy she realized I wouldn't back down about it and she started taking it of her own free will. This unfortunately is one of those Bad mommy moments of life. You don't treat them the illness gets worse. You treat them and you have to be mean/rough to do it. A major no win situation. Just has to be done. Try to talk to him at his level and explain the importance of this medication first. And try to get him to realize that you won't back down about the medication. He takes it or you give it to him his choice. Then do what it takes to get it in him. Best of luck to you both.

Suggestion, one of the girls takes medication better if she sucks on a pop cycle first. It numbs her taste buds and makes it easier for her to take. Then she finishes of the pop cycle which kills the nasty taste. BUT this will only work if DS agree's that he has to take the medicine.

By Kittycat_26 on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 08:57 am:

These posts make me feel so much better. I do what I have to to give Timmy his medicine but everyone else that I've talked to make it seem like their kids just drink the medicine and everything is happy in their world. Usually our medicine episodes end up with me feeling guilty about the way I have to give it to him and wearing it on my clothes the rest of the day.

I never thought about blowing in his face to make him swallow though. Usually I just hold his nose so that he has to swallow to breathe through his mouth.

Thankfully, we don't have to go through this often.

By Melanie on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 09:23 am:

Oh Marg, I wish there was an easy Love and Logic answer!

I have one who hates to take medicine. With him, I've done it exactly how Kaye described. And when it was for poison oak he had a choice between a shot and taking the medicine. Would you believe he actually chose the shot????

Good luck.

By Fionadeassis on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 10:04 am:

UPDATE.....

I tried to put it in juice last night...he tried it and freaked. So I talked him into trying it in hot chocolate..he agreed-but then tasted it and refused..

So we talked to him about why it was important and got him to agree that we would hold him and syringe it in...he was trying to be so brave.

Then we squirted it in and he went completely bananas! There was medication all over the place.He was bubbling it out of his mouth and screaming as dh held his mouth open. He got quite a bit of it.But lots in his hair and on his face. I will try holding his nose. I didn't understand blowing on his mouth though Kaye-do you mean kind of like mouth to mouth resusitation?

I am dreading his morning dose!

fiona

By Rayanne on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 10:15 am:

When I was young, I was like your DS Fiona. The only way that I would take medicine was, my mom would have "pretend medicine" for her and she would say that we have to take our medicine now. I would give her hers so she she could give me mine. It worked. I hope it works for you Gd luck!!

By Dawnk777 on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 11:41 am:

My kids never fought me that much. My younger one needed more coaxing, though, since she hates taking medication, even now, at a few days short of 12.

I remember having to give eye drops to the younger one when she was about 2 or 3. If DH was home, it was easy, but I would have to give a dose or two by myself when he was working. So, I rolled her up in a beach towel with her arms at her sides. Then I straddled her and gave them. I could hold her head and an eye and give them quickly. I couldn't do it with arms, too. She hated it, but it was over with quickly enough!

By Coopaveryben on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 11:53 am:

My oldest was like this, AWFUL! We tried it in everything, if he detected it..forget it. Fortunetely now he takes pills.

We had to pin him down flat on his back (don't let him turn his head to the sides either, he will spit it out) were he couldn't move his head and syringe it. Don't put enough in his mouth that he can blow it out, just a tiny tiny bit at a time. It will take a minute or to but it won't get everywhere and he will have to swallow. I know you feel so mean but not as mean as if he continued to be sick because he couldn't take medicine.

By Rcarbee on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 12:40 pm:

We have this problem with any medicine even tylenol. My son will only take one medicine because of the color. We just recently went through a bout of pharyngitis (sp?) and we went through 2 different antibiotics to no avail (threw them up). Finally, we had to go back to the doctor and get 2 shots in his buns. They hurt for a couple of days. That was our only option. In the past we have bribed him, put the medicine in chocolate syrup, tried to hide it in drinks. Nothing will work with him. He knows immediately if we have added something. We added the antibiotic to his pediasure and he came back to me and said he wanted "vanilla" shake (that is what we call it). He knew I had done something. He is also a cronic picky eater. He will only eat about 5 different foods. He has PDD-NOS which is on the autism spectrum and has severe oral sensitivities. I wish the best of luck to you.

By Bobbie on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 01:18 pm:

If you blow air in their face their natural instinct is to swallow. Basically you just blow not mouth to mouth. Just like if you would breath out slowly though your mouth.. It takes their breath and the will swallow so they can breath. It is a trick you can use for a child in the throws of a screaming fit too. I have a friend whose son would hold his breath. If you puffed in his face his body would naturally inhale.

By Fionadeassis on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 04:48 pm:

Snuck it in extra chocolaty hot chocolate-with marshmallows! Had to wait till he was quite hungry though......only 9 days to go!

fiona

By Rayanne on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 12:30 pm:

Glad he got it

By Amecmom on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 04:14 pm:

It sounds like this is too much trouble and your son is just too anxious about taking the meds. Call your DR and ask about a one dose antibiotic shot. They are very helpful in cases where the child is so resistent to meds.
If that fails, try mixing the dose in any semi-soft food - cream cheese, chocolate pudding, even soft-serve ice cream.
Re: the syringe, did you place it all the way in the back of his mouth, up against his teeth? This way, it bypasses the tastebuds. Dip the syringe in something sweet beforehand so he tastes the sweetness, not the meds.
Also, this could be a battle of wills thing more so than a problem with the meds. Fill the syringe, dip it in syrup or honey or chocolate sauce, then ask him if he would like to squirt it in his mouth. If he says no, back off for a bit. His curiosity to try it himself may win out and he may decide to do it. If not, after a reasonable amount of time, then either do it yourself or try putting it in food.
Giving meds to a child is no fun, especially a resistant one. I hope some of this is helpful to you.
Apologies for spelling.
Ame