Toddler absolutely refusing antibiotics

[Anonymous]

We had a similarly stubborn toddler and would have to mix antibiotics into smoothies/milkshakes. The key was to figure out which would best hide the flavor or whatever she would like most, like if it was gross banana flavor, then chocolate would work, or OJ/vanilla for a creamsicle. Then mix the medicine with a very small amount of the smoothie in a straw cup and not give a refill until the first bit is gone. She’s 5 now and finally understands that she just has to take the medicine. Neither of my other kids were even half as stubborn and the swaddling and blowing in the face tricked worked for them. Stubborn miss would spit out mouthful after mouthful as we tried to force her mouth closed.

[Anonymous]

Does your kid like those gerber fruit pouches? Try one of the apple plus other fruit mixes (plausible deniability for when she points out it doesn’t taste like regular apple sauce.) Put the medicine in the pouch with a syringe, squish it so it is mixed all together, then put on one of those dreadful hypnotic song videos kids love, like little baby bum. Hand her the pouch, and act all casual. Chances are she will happily eat it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks everyone. After calling another pharmacy and asking again the pharmacist said I could mix it with applesauce so I did that. Of course the second she knew I WANTED her to finish the apple sauce even that took bribery. I don't know how I'm going to do this twice a day for ten days.

We have tried so many of the helpful suggestions here. She is just incredibly willful (more so than a run of the mill toddlerhood) and is we say blue she says red.

If the applesauce thing fails we will hold her down and hold her nose. I hate for it to have to come to that but I'm too worried about a kidney infection.

Squirt the syringe towards the back of the throat so it by-passes the taste buds. I bet it tastes horrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks everyone. After calling another pharmacy and asking again the pharmacist said I could mix it with applesauce so I did that. Of course the second she knew I WANTED her to finish the apple sauce even that took bribery. I don't know how I'm going to do this twice a day for ten days.

We have tried so many of the helpful suggestions here. She is just incredibly willful (more so than a run of the mill toddlerhood) and is we say blue she says red.

If the applesauce thing fails we will hold her down and hold her nose. I hate for it to have to come to that but I'm too worried about a kidney infection.

Squirt the syringe towards the back of the throat so it by-passes the taste buds. I bet it tastes horrible.

Don’t do that—that can cause aspiration. Squirt it into the side of the cheek.

[Anonymous]

My kids live danimals drinkable sugary yogurt. We usually bought it only when they were sick and needed to mix it with antibiotics or as a special treat. I poured out a bit less than half of into a cup and mixed antibiotics in danimal yogurt container with the half remaining. My kids drank it and then usually wanted other half. They were told they can get it later (with another dose). Taste a drop of the antibiotics. It is bitter even with flavoring,

I have told this trick to at least 7 other parents whose kids won’t take antibiotics.

[Anonymous]

This sounds terrible but when my kid was uncooperative, I would lay him down with my knees on the floor above his shoulders so his arms were out of the way and squirt the medicine into the back side of his cheek. I would also do this same method as a last resort for toothbrushing refusals. No ill effects, now takes medicine and brushes teeth without issue several years later.

[Anonymous]

I can’t think of an antibiotic for kids that can’t be mixed with food. I’d get clarification on that... then try to mix the med with jello powder. It’s so strong and so sweet it hides the med really well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would try, in the following order:

1. Ice cream trick PP mentioned
2. Bribery (you have to go bigger than a chocolate chip)
3. Swaddle her with a towel, hold her head still, use the syringe to get the antibiotics as far back in her throat as possible, then hold her mouth closed while you blow in her nose.

The last one sounds extreme, but is very effective with cats. I'm only half-serious about using it on your kid. But, if you are desperate, it should work.

+1

It really sounds like you are at the last resort. A couple minutes of discomfort a day for 10 days beats an infection that can harm her health.

[Anonymous]

My DS was the same and I taught him really young to swallow a pill. I think I might’ve been lucky, and it was super easy for him. Never had to do liquid antibiotics ever again.

[Anonymous]

When the doctor in the ER saw that 3 adults couldn't hold my 3 year old DD down to give her the medicine she ordered the shot.

She said there was no way DH and I could administer it properly over 10 days. Thankfully that was the only time she needed antibiotics as a toddler.

Hope your DD takes the meds and is feeling better soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks everyone. After calling another pharmacy and asking again the pharmacist said I could mix it with applesauce so I did that. Of course the second she knew I WANTED her to finish the apple sauce even that took bribery. I don't know how I'm going to do this twice a day for ten days.

We have tried so many of the helpful suggestions here. She is just incredibly willful (more so than a run of the mill toddlerhood) and is we say blue she says red.

If the applesauce thing fails we will hold her down and hold her nose. I hate for it to have to come to that but I'm too worried about a kidney infection.

Its not being willful. Have you tasted it? It tastes pretty bad. And, she's just being a toddler and figuring it all out.

I put chocolate syrup in the syringe to get her used to it and she refused that too. It's being willful, and the taste.