AndyJoy Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Anyone have any amazing tricks for getting my 15-month-old to swallow 2 tsp. of Amoxicillin twice a day? The poor little guy has a double ear infection and pneumonia. We gave him his first dose today and he screamed hysterically, cried, held his breath, coughed and sputtered on it, spit it out, gagged, etc. He wouldn't even take a cookie or juice or ice cream afterward to get rid of the taste because he was so upset. This medication is allowed to be mixed with food. Would it be a bad idea to mix it with applesauce? That's the only thing (other than refried beans, water, and breastmilk) that he's been willing to eat for 3 days. Would a smoothie be better since I want to make sure he'll keep eating when I offer food whereas he can always drink breastmilk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gracesteacher Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 We used a medicine syringe in the mouth aimed at the back of the throat. However we have also mixed it in a small amt of apple sauce or yogurt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganClassicalPrep Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I've had to hold my DD down before. It's no fun, but sometimes it just has to be done. I lay her down on the floor with her head in between my legs, and use my legs to hold her arms down. Then use a syringe to squeeze the medicine towards the side of her mouth. For awhile, I didn't even try to get her to take medicine any other way. I would just hold her right down. She threw a fit for a minute or two, but as soon as she swallowed the medicine I scooped her up and held her, which calmed her right down. (I'm so glad she takes medicine fine now! That was stressful.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I used a syringe and squirted it towards the back and side of her mouth. Offered her favorite drink/treat afterwards. I also got the pharmacy to flavor the medicine. Doesn't affect the efficacy and made it easier to go down. Even at that age I would talk to DD about the medicine - tell her I know it tastes awful, but she's sick and has to take it. It will be over soon, and she can have as many M&Ms as she wants afterwards (this was usually 4-6 at that age). Lots of hugs and rewards and cheering for taking it. I even got a cheering section (her cousins) a few times at the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I remember those days. I did use the syringe and squirt it at the back of the mouth, but someone had to be holding the kids down as well. Use whatever method works for you. Try mixing it with applesauce. If that doesn't work, try something else he may like. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I hope he feels better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 If he loves applesauce I might NOT want to use it - he might never want applesauce again. Try small amounts of jam or even chocolate sauce. If worse comes to worse - ask the doctor for an injection of antibiotic. Some pharmacy s can mix meds with different flavoring, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 We always did the hold down, use syringe, and give treat afterwards thing too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Hand to hold them down :( WHen DH was home it wasn't as hard, but by myself, I had to hold their arms down with my legs and basically (gently) sit on them. It was horrible, but until about the age of 3.5, that's all that worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 Thanks for the replies! Well, we tried a smoothie but he wouldn't take it. When we tried the syringe/back of the mouth he gagged/sputtered. What ended up working was dh holding him while I used the spoon dispenser with one finger hooked in his cheek so he couldn't spit. It wasn't fun but it was fast and he got the whole dose. 2 down, 18 to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Sometimes pharmacies will add in flavorings. I know that Target does. That really helped my 6 mon old take his antibiotics this past month. But if you can mix it in food/drink go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepymommy Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I would have the pharmacy add flavor to it. I think every pharmacy has that option along with a menu of flavors to choose from. They did 25 years ago for me as kid. I can very clearly remember having to take amoxicillan as a kid and I loved it! It was pink and bubblegum flavored and I always looked forward to my dose:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Poor baby, I hope he feels better soon. :grouphug: I remember having to pinch the nose shut to swallow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) I would have the pharmacy add flavor to it. I think every pharmacy has that option along with a menu of flavors to choose from. They did 25 years ago for me as kid. I can very clearly remember having to take amoxicillan as a kid and I loved it! It was pink and bubblegum flavored and I always looked forward to my dose:tongue_smilie: His actually IS pink bubblegum flavored--that was something they automatically do at our pharmacy apparently. Ds was not impressed, however! I remember liking the flavor of my amoxicillin as well. He doesn't like the grape Tylenol either, which I also liked as a kid. I've been really good about training his palette to like good wholesome foods, so maybe it's just that the artificial sweet stuff is new and strange to him. I'm sure he'll discover the joys of bubblegum-flavored stuff when he's older (my dh just discovered cotton candy ice cream--blech!) His favorite food is broccoli--I bet they don't have a pharmacy flavoring for that!:D Edited January 14, 2011 by AndyJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrystal Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Once you squirt the medicine in the back of his throat blow directly into his face. It is reflex for him to swallow. The best way to get it to the back of the throat is to slide the syringe along the cheek until the end is pointed toward the throat. This is the way I have done it for as long as I have had kids and been a nurse and the way I teach my students to give medicine to kids that like to spit. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Be brave, you're doing a great job! If you mix it with food it just makes the food taste bad and they have to eat too much of it. Be sure you never get meds that require 4 times a day. lol and teach him to swallow pills when he is 5. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 His actually IS pink bubblegum flavored--that was something they automatically do at our pharmacy apparently. Ds was not impressed, however! I remember liking the flavor of my amoxicillin as well. He doesn't like the grape Tylenol either, which I also liked as a kid. I've been really good about training his palette to like good wholesome foods, so maybe it's just that the artificial sweet stuff is new and strange to him. I'm sure he'll discover the joys of bubblegum-flavored stuff when he's older (my dh just discovered cotton candy ice cream--blech!) His favorite food is broccoli--I bet they don't have a pharmacy flavoring for that!:D That's it. The stuff is way overpoweringly hideously sweet to him. Have you tried mixing it with water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepymommy Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 His actually IS pink bubblegum flavored--that was something they automatically do at our pharmacy apparently. Ds was not impressed, however! I remember liking the flavor of my amoxicillin as well. He doesn't like the grape Tylenol either, which I also liked as a kid. I've been really good about training his palette to like good wholesome foods, so maybe it's just that the artificial sweet stuff is new and strange to him. I'm sure he'll discover the joys of bubblegum-flavored stuff when he's older (my dh just discovered cotton candy ice cream--blech!) His favorite food is broccoli--I bet they don't have a pharmacy flavoring for that!:D Oh man did I ever have a sweet tooth, no wonder I loved that stuff! I bet the pharmacist would look at you like you had two heads if you asked for a broccoli flavor, I could just imagine the look:lol: I agree with others, see if you can hide it in some food. They might be able to give a pill version that would be easier to sprinkle or crush into his food, that way it wouldn't be sweet and pink. I think the bubblegummyness of it would be difficult to disguise. When ds6 had to have Flagyl (horrendous, nasty, yucky, disgusting stuff) I had to pinch his nose and have him get it down and then give him some soda or juice to chase it with. Your poor little guy, I hope he feels better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 Once you squirt the medicine in the back of his throat blow directly into his face. It is reflex for him to swallow. The best way to get it to the back of the throat is to slide the syringe along the cheek until the end is pointed toward the throat. This is the way I have done it for as long as I have had kids and been a nurse and the way I teach my students to give medicine to kids that like to spit. :tongue_smilie: I think I must not be talented enough to do this because I thought I did this the first time but he still managed to gargle/spit it out! Fortunately my new method worked--hopefully it will continue working tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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