Need help giving my son medicine

DS (2 years old) has an ear infection and is on amoxicillin.
Last night he threw it up as soon as it went down, but I finally managed to sneak some in bc he was so sick and just gave in. This morning has been a battle. Any tips on getting him to swallow it? It's got a terrible chalky taste, should I mix it with another liquid to get him to drink it?? TIA

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

DS has been on antibiotics 3 times now. amox he actually took well, augmentum we had to pin him down and hold his mouth shut, he threw up all over DH once.

Right now he is on Cefdinir. I actually stuck the dropper in the side of his mouth while having a bottle and he sucked it right down. I was so mad I never tried that before with the augmentum!

I never mixed it in just in case he doesn't finish the bottle cause then he would not get the full dose!

Good luck! hope he is better soon!

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

As PP said I wouldn't mix it in because if he doesn't drink that whole other liquid he won't get the medicine. DS2 gives us a really hard time with medicine and I also recently discovered that if I let him drink his bottle and stick the dropper in the side corner of his mouth he takes the medicine. I also tried letting him drink the bottle then take it out and squeeze some medicine in and then put the bottle back in quick. Not sure if your DC still takes a bottle but might work with a sippy cup with something that he really likes in it. Before we figured out that trick though we used to have to pin him down and I would squirt a little in the side/back of his mouth like near where molars would be (if he had them). I would then blow in his face lol. I know if sounds so weird but he would swallow when I would blow in his face so we would just do that a little at a time until he got it all down. Sneaking the dropper in with the bottle is a much easier process lol!

HTH!

Need help giving my son medicine

Thanks guys. He doesn't take a bottle anymore. Maybe I'll try it with a straw sippy. The problem is he spits it right out. DH told me to give him something like toast with peanut butter and squirt some on top. lol sounds ridiculous and gross! Anyone else have any tips?

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

DS loves amoxicillin. He sucks anything down happily.

DD hates it (she's 2). With her, I sit & headlock her & put a syringe with the med in the corner of her mouth and just squirt it in little by little so that she doesn't choke & doesn't lose too much if she spits it out. Kinda like a dog or cat (if you've ever given an animal meds).

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

Maybe try mixing it with just a little bit of yogurt if he likes yorgurt?

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

Chocolate pudding. It will mask the flavor more than anything else.

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

Chocolate pudding or grape juice masks all antibiotic

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

Mix it. Only way my ds will take meds too. Like pp said try grape juice or even milk

Need help giving my son medicine

I've had to hold her down when it gets bad, put the dropper in side of mouth, she will swallow it, but it's horrible. Get it flavored at the pharmacy, that usually helps.
Lately all I have to do is threaten to take her to the dr, and tell her the dr will give the meds to her, if she won't take it right now. That generally works. I hate to be mean, but it's important she takes it.

Need help giving my son medicine

hershey syrup...you only need a tablespoon or so to mask any other flavor and works like a charm...looks like chocolate milk.

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

My dd is almost 2.5 we always mix it with apple sauce or a fruit puree and she takes it. The chocolate pudding idea is great though. I always just ask the dr. if it is ok to mix it first.

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

All these ideas are great. My one suggestion...taste it yourself!

I had to give DD medicine a few weeks ago that she was throwing up from the taste, and I was going crazy trying to mask it and maker her accept it. One night, I decided to try it for myself. I just dipped the tip of my finger into the chocolate syrup with the medicine mixed it... I almost threw it up myself!! I then refused to give her even one more dose. I called the doctor in the morning and made them change it. Now I know that it can't always be changed due to taste, but there may be an alternative. The one she was taking was very well known for its nasty, bitter taste. It is supposed to come in a capsule, that we opened and sprinkled into food...the capsule masks the taste for adults. But for kids, there is no alternative.

Then another pill, that comes in a tablet...we were crushing and mixing into applesauce for DD...again, I tasted it...AWFUL!!! Now I cut it into quarters and have her swallow the small quarters in the applesauce.

Today, I actually took a small pill and put it into the tip of a straw and just put the straw up to DD's lips and made her drink...voila...she swallowed the pill with the drink!

I also think if it is available in a chewable tablet, that is better than a liquid for getting it into them. But it has to be one that is formulated to be chewed, otherwise it will also very likely be nasty and bitter.

Definately give it a little taste for yourself and then you'll have a better idea of how to help get it into your kids!

Need help giving my son medicine

I just read online a perfect way to get them to take it, is let them eat some ice chips prior. The ice will numb their taste buds and then it won't be so gross to them. GL !

Re: Need help giving my son medicine

We tried every kind of medicine and flavor out there. DS suffered from frequent ear infections. There was only one he would take willingly and it turned out he was allergic to it.. During an ER visit last spring, I told them to forget the meds, he won't take them or he will just throw them up, they offered a shot.. He got a shot of penicillin in his leg (yes it hurt), but it worked and withing 2 days he was back to himself... That is the way we will go from now on... He has sensory issues and the taste and grit of all meds gets him.. So not worth the fighting and crying when there is an alternative...