Our 3 year old has an ear infection and need to take a liquid antibiotic. Every time we give it to him, he refuses and spits it back at us. We even put it in his milk & juice, but he is able to find the medicine in it from the taste and refuses it. Chewables don't work either, any ideas on how we can administer his antibiotic with success?
DawL
Favorite Answer
I'm guessing he is supposed to be taking the pink amoxicillan? I went through this with one of my daughters, and honestly there is not a whole lot you can do to get them to take it. You could try getting it flavored at your local pharmacy. Take him with you, and let him pick the flavor.You could also get strawberry syrup and put it, and his medicine in the milk. It should cover the taste rather well, and definitely the color. This really is going to be an ongoing battle, and when it comes down to it, there is something different that works for each child. Good luck!
Mostly Harmless
My daughter is the same way....ill mix it up in her juice, add extra sugar, ice etc behind her back, I give it to her, she looks at it and says " I want juice, not medicine"
Finally is asked the Dr to just give her an antibiotic shot, when needed it, what could I do?
Brimstone Black Beetle
Bargain with him. Tell him you know it tastes gross, but that after he takes it he can have______ to get rid of the icky taste -- but only once he's done swallowing the medicine. For some kids, ______ might equal a couple of chocolate chips. This is how I get my five year old to take gross meds, including a nasal spray that she loathes. My three year old likes olives or a baby dill pickle.
I know that, overall, bribery is not a great idea, but we make an exception for meds and it works.
Anonymous
You could try filling the syringe with juice and give to either mom or dad and say Look Mommy or daddy take their medicine, wow mommy is a big girl, or daddy is a big boy taking all the medicine. then say ok " name of child's" turn. Thats what we do with my grand daughter and she is 3
Its a thought, and worth a try. Good Luck
Jeff
I know a trick to get a baby to take it, I don't know if it will work on a three year old. You put it in the syringe and squirt it in the back of their mouth against their cheek, while holding their nose. It forces them to swallow it. If it's to get his fever down its better for him to be uncomfortable for a few seconds than to get worse from a high fever.