My almost-6 yr old DS is on Ceftin for an ear infection. This is a horrible infection that didn't clear up with Amoxicillin, thus we're on to Ceftin. When he was a baby, I can remember him having to take Ceftin for the same thing and we couldn't get him to swallow it without throwing it up, so we ended up taking him for the antibiotic shots instead. Now that he's 6, I feel like there must be some way we can get him to take it, but I need some suggestions. We've tried taking it plain out of a dropper with a chaser of water/milk/juice. We've tried mixing it with chocolate milk/juice/powerade. None of that is working and now I feel like we're wasting so many doses because he won't take them. He has an extremely bad gag reflex (he gets that from me), which doesn't help at all. And Ceftin is horrible tasting and very thick, like drinking chalk with a bad bad bad aftertaste. I can't even describe it. Mixing it with other things just seems like it draws out the whole process, you know? Like instead of having to take 1 tsp, you now have to drink a whole cup of it. :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: So, any suggestions? How do you get your LO to take meds?
rainbowbrite812
10-31-2007, 08:52 PM
to get my kids to take bad tasting meds i get the medicine cups (like that come with cough syrup) and put the correct dosage & mix it with a strong juice like grape juice...if i've got a pop around i'll have them chase it with a sip of that...just a sip of pop is enough incentive to take the meds...but my kids are med-aholics...they LOVE taking medicine, lol.
the icky tasting stuff i just mix though...and in a little med cup it's only a small amt and we use a straw so it goes down fast & with a straw it kinda just goes to the back of the throat, not on the tongue where they can taste it so much.
4my5guys
10-31-2007, 11:31 PM
Have you thought about asking for a pill that can be cut in half instead of the liquid ? Put the half a pill in a teaspoon of pudding swallow it all. This has worked for us. DS#2 can not handle liquid medication. When he was 3 or 4 I couldn't get him to take a liquid and told him if he didn't try he could spend the whole day in his room(he was my social one) thought it would really get to him. Nope, he says " I'll see you tomorrow" and walks off. We have struggled with this many times and it is so hard. Hope something works, so he doesn't need the shots.
va703
11-01-2007, 07:19 AM
I hate giving medicine to kids. Our oldest son (he's 3) can't take liquid meds, he gags on them and throws it all up. We have to get him chewable tabs, and even then it's not easy. I second the pill-in-the-pudding idea. The straw is a good option, as well. Mostly we resort to bribery. My DS loves money, specifically dollar bills....we spent a lot of dollars last time he had an ear infection...pretty sad, huh?
stayinhomewithmy4
11-01-2007, 07:20 AM
Thanks for your suggestions! This morning we're going to try a rewards chart. I'm letting him pick out a toy that he wants, and I'm going to make up a chart to put stickers on and if he makes it all the way to the end of the 10 days, he'll get his reward. I thought of this last night and thought it was a great idea, but poor DS says that even though he really wants a toy, he just doesn't know how he's going to take that medicine. Last night, DH finally got almost a full dose in him and then he immediately threw it all up on the kitchen floor. :yuck: So, if that happens again this morning despite the reward chart, I'll call & ask about a tablet and try the pudding idea. The only thing that I'm worried about is that our medical assistance ran out yesterday and we have new insurance through DH's job, but we don't have cards yet, so I don't know how I'd get a new prescription paid for, and I happened to find the receipt for the Ceftin from yesterday and it was $186!!! :eek: So, hopefully the rewards chart will work and I won't have to worry about the insurance situation. And, then, on top of it all, DD woke up with a fever last night too. :banghead:
haydn'smommy
11-01-2007, 07:46 AM
You could try to have it flavored at the pharmacy, although with Ceftin it's usually more texture than taste. Also, try mixing a little with just plain ol chocolate Hershey's syrup. Not the healthiest, but it works for most kids. Some kids can be reasoned with, i.e. "if you can't take this, we might have to get a shot. just hold your nose, swallow really fast, and then big drink of water (juice, etc) and it'll be over with." Good luck.
stayinhomewithmy4
11-01-2007, 08:10 AM
I tried mixing it with plain Hershey's syrup last night. That was just before he puked, so it was a no-go. The good news is that he took it okay this morning. Not great, but okay, and that's good enough. The stuff is so horrible tasting & the texture is horrible too. DH had the idea of rubbing baby anbesol on his tongue first, so I did, and I think it actually helped! I squirted 1/2 the dose in his mouth, he drank lots of butterscotch milk, I squirted the second 1/2 in his mouth and he drank lots more butterscotch milk and then ate a piece of bread. No puking or anything! :yay: Now, I'm off to make a sticker chart as his incentive... just 9 1/2 more days :yuck: . Thanks again for all of your suggestions! :goodvibes:
