OP here, thanks for the suggestions. We're heading back to the Dr today. I may ask for pills. He takes the chew able ibuprofen just fine. The choc milk idea is good too.

My son only takes pills in applesauce

See if the pharmacy can flavor them. There are a lot of options for flavors and they have totally helped my DC get down some yucky meds.

Our DC also only drinks milk and water. I hide all meds in milk and mix it with a strong choc flavored powder (Hershey's or Cadbury).

My DS is actually WAY better with pills than liquids - he also only drinks milk or water - so making him take liquid medicine is like killing him. From a young age, he preferred swallowing a pill with water to liquid meds. Docs are always surprised when we request it, but it has taken the nightmare out of medicine.

I would bribe him. Anything within my financial ability.

The liquids taste so awful.
We do the old 'spoonful of sugar' ... in the form of ice cream for every swallow...or sugar...or whatever it takes to get that yucky taste out of your child's mouth!
Good luck

Is it liquid? Is so get the syringe style measure and slowly dispense it while he is still sleeping. He will naturally swallow but make sure it is dispensed slowly.

Yes. Buy a few new toys or somethign he absolutely loves. For my kid Tommy the Tank Engine cars did the trick. Tell him to swallow quick and then drink milk . Then let him unwrap a present.

*if bribe fails, not ruble. Hilarious autocorrect, considering.

How old is he? You may not have a choice other than hospital and IV meds. You can't force someone to swallow and as you found, there's fallout when you try.

You CAN bribe, however. I'd stay calm, describe a liberal bribe scheme, describe what will happen re hospital if. Ruble fails, and then follow through calmly on whichever is applicable.

Worth giving your ped a call to ask for options, too. Maybe in-home injections or similar are possible.

Choc pudding...a good idea. I will try that when he wakes up. He's currently asleep. I have got to get these meds in him. Earlier today he ripped his nebulizer off his face and threw it across the room (after four successful treatments). I told him a hospital visit will be happening tomorrow if he doesn't start taking the meds.

Have you tried pudding? Yogurt?

Tell him if he DOESN'T take the meds, then he WILL have to re-live that experience.

Can you put the meds in applesauce? Chocolate pudding? Yogurt?

My HFA DS currently has pneumonia and will not take the meds. This stems from a very bad experience at the hospital two years ago in which they had to force meds into him and have two orderlies hold him down. We have tried everything. He only drinks water and milk, and I put the meds in the water and he knew, so now he is refusing water too. I fear we are going to be heading to the hospital tomorrow for IV antibiotics and fluids. Any tips/other things we can try before we go that route?