What do you do when toddler is protesting HEAVY against any form of medicine/vitamins spitting it all out, tried everything and nothing worked.

Tried mixing it with water, tried to let her do it herself and even bribed with a treat afterwards all of these things didn’t work. We managed to have her lay on her back with my legs over her arms to syringe it in mouth but literally spits it all out. She’s not eating much at the moment due to her being so poorly, probably just one bite of a boiled egg each day, refusing home cooked soup and everything I’ve made for the past 5 days, I know she has lost some weight and she is nutrient deficient right now and I’m really trying my very best to help her take her vitamins as she is not eating much food and help her feel better by giving her medication but she’s refusing everything right now.
Like
Share Mobile
Share
  • Share

Show your support

Put it in watered down juice and when you use the syringe you have to put it in the back of her cheek towards her throat so she doesn’t have the opportunity to spit it out. There’s also ensure drinks for kids.

Rectal Tylenol can help. I'd ask the doctor if there's anything for Motrin but usually that's what they recommend if they're refusing

When my daughter was small we would put her liquid medicine in a juice box, but first empty most of the juice to ensure she could drink it all…but mixing juice is the best bet I think

So we found an iron supplement she takes and it's chocolate flavored. It works for us. She's no longer anemic and we had only been taking it daily for a month. I added a liquid multivitamin but the one dose needs to be broken down into 3 "doses". So that the flavor isn't too intense. But when it comes to medicine she needs to take and I cant risk her not drinking her water then I just have a soft syringe and put it inside her mouth but closer towards her throat and administer it then. We don't give juice at home so I didn't want to mix medicine or vitamins in it and then constantly have to give her juice.

What are her symptoms & what are you trying to give her?

Things that have worked on occasion… when I have been trying to give calpol (paracetamol/tylenol) by oral syringe and it’s blankly refused… - giving it from a spoon (measured in syringe, then given by spoon). - giving it from a bottle, mixed with just a small amount of milk, to ensure it’s taken. - hidden it inside raspberries… they’re the perfect little vehicles from about 1ml of liquid medication. It worked perfectly once (enough times to take that full dose), but never really worked again. - and suppositories can sometimes be an option, on prescription - but I haven’t needed to do that yet.

@Dana Lew sore throat, she’s been having it since Wednesday, it is getting better now but she’s still in a lot of pain. Calpol and nurofen. We’ve got a multivitamins that we like to give her as well so she’s not vitamin deficient from not eating very much.

@Rosa tried the spoon as well she just knows it medicine and refuses! I don’t know why she fights it so much, it’s never been an issue taking it before.

We got told by drs putting Calpol/antibiotics ect in a small amount of milk was fine or a yoghurt but obvs make sure you've emptied most first so it mixes with it and not dilutes it to much,my little girl was exactly the same for taking hers it's a nightmare.

I have no advice. I just wanted to tell you that you sound like a really lovely and caring mom 🩷 and to share a memory you just made me cherish a little more. I remember being really sick when I was little, but the particular medication I needed only came in pills at that time, and I'd never taken pills before. My mom tried EVERYTHING, but I just wouldn't budge. I was about 10 though, not a toddler, so eventually I was able to reason that I was more sick than I was scared of taking a pill. I had really really bad pneumonia, and it happened a few months after my grandpa (my mom's dad) passed away. I'm sure she was scared out of her mind. Tomorrow I'm gonna call and thank her for taking such good care of me then. In 20 years I hope your daughter has a similar revelation about you. 🩷 I hope she feels better soon and that you take care of yourself too. You got this.

Mix it with juice. And don’t let her see you do it.

When we needed antibiotics into our son and were struggling the GP told us to put in a marshmallow.. it worked.

If it’s an antibiotic or something they absolutely need, have someone help you hold her down and squeeze it into the side of her cheek. For vitamins, I wouldn’t force her. Maybe try a gummy? It’s normal to lose weight after being sick, give her some time to heal

Mine hates the syringe but loves it on a spoon! He also loves yoghurt so sometimes I pour it on top of a yogurt and give it to him that way x

If you aim for the retromolar pad whilst she’s laying back in your arms it makes it really difficult for them to spit it back out. We used to struggle so much until we learned this technique! Now we have no issues which I never thought we’d say the day!

Try today for free
Scan the QR code and join the app
to connect with women at a similar stage in life.
Download Peanut to connect with women at a similar stage in life.

StarStarStarStarStar-Half

Trusted by 5M+ women

Logo
Try today for free
Scan the QR code and join the app
to connect with women at a similar stage in life.
Download Peanut to connect with women at a similar stage in life.

StarStarStarStarStar-Half

Trusted by 5M+ women

Logo

My son is the same he will not have medicine we’ve tried everything.

I used a pouch of puree and mixed it in. Gave her the pouch to "drink" and she wasn't fussed

My baby boy HATES medicine so I try to avoid it unless he absolutely needs it. We too try mixing it stuff, bribery, different spoons and straws and dummies and it’s a nightmare so I can relate. Unfortunately we just kinda bite the bullet and accept 3 seconds of hell. I hold his arms and try to encourage him to open his mouth and then put the syringe on the side of the cheek rather than towards the back of the throat then he can’t spit it out. Then I gently blow his forehead and it surprises him so he stops crying and swallows without choking. It’s awful but you just gotta do what you have to do when they’re unwell. I would only do it for essential medication though like antibiotics and pain meds and for vitamins I’d just keep trying other methods I hope baba feels better soon x

@Rebecca so for liquid meds, we’ve held her down and squeezed it into the sides of her cheeks but she still spits it all out. We’ve had to repeat the process and it happens again. I haven’t thought about gummies! Do you have any in mind that works for you?

@Amy it can definitely be so hard to get liquid meds into them 😭 my daughter takes smarty pants toddler multi and omega gummies and llama naturals peach probiotic gummies. Definitely make sure your daughter is good on chewing and swallowing gummies, but we’ve been doing them successfully since 24 months

Read more on Peanut
Trending in our community