Won't Take Medicine

how about freezing it, along with the other suggestions? at least it won't taste as bad.

try bringing it to the pharmacy and get it flavored i know they do that at CVS, then try hiding it in a different kind of container. Good Luck!!

I have had to give many meds for UTIs. Some taste horrible. Some are fine. I have one daughter, who - try as she might - gags no matter what the taste. So here is a brain dump of all different things we've done. First, talk to the pharmacist to find out your options. Usually for $2-$3 you can change the flavor (you can bring it back and they can flavor it now, if you tell them how much you've already given her). Also ask if you can put it on icecream, mix chocolate syrup in it, etc. We've even put it into a spoonful of frosting ("just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down"). But, keep in mind, the more you mix, the more that has to be ingested - and if they don't like the icecream with it, they have all the more stuff to choke down. So try to mix it into the smallest amount possible. There may be a pill form that you can crush and mix into something. Try letting your daughter control the medicine syringe, if you think you can trust her. Just being able to squirt it into her own mouth herself might be enough to make her want to do it. For my daughter who gags, we used to squirt out literally one drop at a time. (And she'd take a huge gulp of water after each drop). It would take 45 minutes to get one teaspoon in - but the important thing was that it did get in. What works now (that's she's 5 years old) is strange - we put the dose into a cup. We mix in about 1/2 teaspoon of water, and 1 icecube. I give her a straw, she stirs it around until it is icy cold, and she drinks it all up fast. Also, make sure you try to replace the good bacteria that is being killed - lots of yogurt. I would recommend getting acedopholis pills (look for the kind that needs refrigeration after being opened).

I have two methods -

1. If it has a fruit flavor, I put it in a regular cup and tell her it's juice

2. I mix it up with some Nutella and spread it on a sandwich.

Strange, but true. :)

My youngest (now 4) took antibiotics for almost 4 years of her life to prevent UTI's (long story, but if she hasn't had an ultrasound or other test to see what's going on in there, you may want to speak with her doctor). She HATED the med around the same age as your child.... Ask the pharmicist if she can flavor it differently and for whatever other tricks they can suggest. She's a bit young, but maybe they may have a once a day antibiotic, too, to choose from..... I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Hi,
My son is on long term antibiotics to prevent UTIs due to an issue with his kidneys. He used to take his liquid antibiotics fine until he turned 1 1/2 and then he refused. As a result, they switched us from liquid to a capsule. We open the capsule up, pour out the powder into a little of his apple juice and then put the juice combo in the medicine dropper. To make sure she doesn't associate the dropper with the meds. you may want to make a game of it and have her drink juice with you from the dropper first. Once she thinks it is just fun you can try the combo with the antibiotics. My son willingly takes his meds. now. Hope this helps.

i've put medicine in ice cream or applesauce or the next time ask the pharmacist to put in better tasting elixir .... they have additives they can make it taste better K. d mother of 13 11 8 and 17mths

See if the pharm can flavor it next time. My oldest was terrible about taking meds when he was small. I used to but a tiny amount of ice cream in a bowl and sneak it in with the ice cream. Its really hard to sneak it in if its the pink stuff though. You could ask your dr. for chewable then crush it up and give it to her in a spoonful of pudding. Or use a dropper not a spoon and hold her down and squirt it in to side of her cheek if all else fails better to have screaming child than one that stays sick. good luck.

Try mixing it in pudding or ice cream. If you put it in ice cream, you really need to mix it well so that the ice cream is really soft.

We went through this recently. We tried two different types of liquid antibiotics before I finally called the pedi and asked for another suggestion. Of course the nurse, who must have thought I was a push over, was telling me since I could not get him to take the meds (vomiting it back up...not just spitting it) that I would need to have him come in for a shot. I said FINE!! I don't think she was expecting that - but instead decided to go talk to my pedi and he wrote out another prescription for chewable antibiotics. I crushed those up in his food and he never knew - it didn't alter the taste like the liquid did!

Good luck - I know how frustrating it can be!!!

Hi J. - so many of us know what you're dealing with. Of course shes going to scream. Shes 2, theres no reasoning w/ a child that age to take medicine, LOL. I know, my daughter had been on liquid meds for seizures since she was 18 mos, shes now 4. I have a syringe "the 1st years" brand. It had a long(about an inch) nose on it. I used this for a long time for both my kids. I HAD to hold them down. I'd put it in the corner of he mouth so that it was at the top back of their throat & put a little of the medicine at a time (so that she didnt choke), & blew in her face quick little blows to startle her into swallowing it. She was horrible, used to be able to spit it out know matter what i did. It didnt matter if i flavored it or not,she could detect it in anything & screamed & carried on. She also wouldnt swallow afterward. She would let her saliva build up in her mouth until it would just drool out of her mouth. So i would give her a washcloth to "spit" into. Believe it or now she takes her medicine like a champ because she knows she has to. If her infection gets worse, or you just cant get the meds in her, call your pedi to see what he suggests doing. I know theres a shot they can give them. Good luck!

First off, does the medicine say it is okay to mix with food? Secondly, if it is the taste she doesnt like, I know most pharmacies have flavorings that they can add to it for children, sometimes they have up to 10 different flavors to choose from.

As far as how to get her to take it, it is liquid right? Are you using a spoon or medicine dropper dispenser? My child is two also, and for liquid meds, I measure it out into a sringe dropper, and lay her down, and it is pretty easy to slid into her mouth, I point it at her cheek and squeeze out the medicine, she has no choice but to swallow it. It is only a small amount she shouldnt choke.

As far as hiding it in food, does she normally eat things like pudding, yogurt or oatmeal? I would try and put the medicine on a spoon and then put that type of food on top of it and see if she'll let you feed her the spoon. Sometimes too, kids always like to eat the parents food, so even if you pretend you are sitting eating something like that and say "do you want a bite?" Perhaps she'll be apt to take what is on the spoon from you.

I always hate to trick them, but sometimes you have to, and she is so young. Hope some of this helps... Let us know how you make out.
Good Luck ~K.

My 2 year old has been on anti-biotics a few times and is actually on them now. This is the first time I have gotten him to take them without a fight. I do not use the dropper that the pharmacy gave me. I spent the 2 dollars and got a syringe that is made for giving the meds. He does much better with that. I also don't give it all in one "push". In the past it has made him gag and sometimes throw up.

Before my recent success, I put it in yogurt. If your child is on an antibiotic, he/she should be eating yogurt anyway to avoid a yeast infection. I mixed it really well and he ate it.

Hope this helps.

if it is a taste thing, then put it in a medicine spoon and use a straw! this works with my son who hates meds too!!! they don't taste as much of it

Ask for the shot. One shot worth of crying is far better than a week (twice a day) of crying each time you ask her to take her meds. Just my experience.

My daughter was the same way at that age. We tried everything - mixing it with food, drink, you name it. We asked our pediatrician who had no better ideas. We ended up with both of us in tears and me having to pin her down and force it into her. I couldn't do that. The solution (which we thankfully came up with on our own after one day of this torture):
We took a big piece of poster board and made a chart (together with her). It was literally 10 "days" and each day had two boxes (drawn in marker). Every time she took the medicine she got to put a sticker in the box or something like that. At the end of the medicine she got a prize (for us it was a trip to Chuck E. Cheese - which we frequented anyway). It worked beautifully with us! From the time she had a hand in the process she was a full and willing participant. She actually couldn't wait to take the medicine. Good luck.