My Baby Won't Take Her Medicine!

I had that problem and even the holding him down technique wouldn't work. He would literally spit it in my face. What did end up working was diluting it in grape juice and letting him drink out of it with a straw. I put seriously several ounces of grape juice and ice and would follow him around until he finished it. But you said juice didn't work. You might try more juice or putting some water in there too. One other thing, you said the first time she loved it. Was it this same bottle that she was ok with or a different time you had the rx filled? I ask because I've learned that different pharmacies flavor drugs differently so if you got it filled at a different place the first time you might try getting it refilled at that place again. Good luck. I know how stressful this is!

I agree with the "blow in her mouth" suggestion. I know it sounds mean, but you do what you gotta do. This is the only way I could ever gets medicine in my own kids!

When you hold her down and use the syringe to give her the medicine, blow in her face after you know the medicine is in there. This will make her swallow. I blow in my son's face several times before I consider the task over. Also, give her a "prize" for taking the medicine. Maybe that will help the next time not be so bad.

Good luck!

You'll likely need to hold her down and then use when of the syringe thingys so you can shoot it to the back of her mouth - that's what I do for cats and my pony. Dogs will eat anything in my experience.

I have a two year old on antibiotics right now and right when we started I ran into the same thing. I even tried holding her down and we wound up with medicine everywhere.

I have a medicine spoon that I was using for this...I asked her, "Hey, you are a BIG GIRL! Do YOU want to do it yourself like a BIG GIRL????" She said yes so I handed her the spoon and she drank it right up. So every time it's time for her medicine I've kept asking her if she's ready to take her medicine like a big girl and she does it. I sweat bullets because her coordination isn't that great but this is day 5 and she's done great with it.

Yes, age two is where autonomy and power struggles happen, they definitely like having control over stuff that happens to their bodies.

Good luck, tell us what happens in case our current trick stops working and we need fresh ideas!!!

My two year old is currently on antibiotics for an ear infection. I have tried the "hold her down" method, and it's terrible. Medicine usually goes everywhere and it just upsets her terribly. This was before she turned two when she was on a round of antibiotics previously. Now, I make a game out of it. I give it to her in the syringe, but let her hold it. If she refuses at first, I say "mine" and act like I'm going to take it and she can't have it. At this age, she likes to have some control, so she wants it back. She takes it on her own - with me making sure she doesn't squirt it across the kitchen with the syringe! Maybe act like you are trying it, and it really tastes good. Then she'll want some too. Hope something works out for you :).

Well, I disagree with the hold em down method, but that is just me. I have tried it, and then had kids so upset that they gag and throw it all up anyway. She must really not like it, so I would actually call the dr. and request a shot too. I have done it before. Or request a different medication. My kids hate some meds, and will accept some others, so ask for a choice of acceptable meds, and see how it goes..maybe they could even give you a sample to make sure she will take it. But, my favorite method is a shot...painful for a moment, yes, but in the end..MUCH easier! Good luck~A.~

try and see if she can give it to herself as a big girl either in the little dispenser cup or in the syringe... let her drink water in between sips...

My daughter won't take it in a syringe- but happily (usually)drinks it out of a little cup... try giving her a tiny coffee stir straw and make a game of sucking it up through the "teeny tiny straw" or pretend to be a vacuum, she might think that is fun.

there is an older post on here that I thought had some great suggestions for this.
Some as easy as using a medicine spoon. Changing the method of giving it to her.
good luck

Yeah, Mary is right. Sometimes you just have to hold 'em down and shove it in! It's for her own good.

one of two things comes to mind. Perhaps the medicine upset her stomach. Which bactrim usually does not, but could. The other thing is control... which you said she is strong willed... is probably the case.

#1 - I would mix the medicine with a small amount of grape juice in a cup she cannot see through (without her knowing it) and do not make a big deal of her drinking it. If that does not work.

#2 - explain to her that she has to take this and she can take it like a big girl from the spoon or the syringe ( you might even let her operate the syringe). Or you will have to hold her like a baby. Then follow through. You might offer her a pretty sticker every time she take her medicine.

She is sick and needs this medicine to make her better because if the bladder infection does not get cleared up it can lead to a kidney infection.

My son has a chronic, progressive disease which has required him to take medicine every day since he was 5 months old- this has to be a battle that the child does not win.

I agree sometimes you just have to hold them down and do it. She may not like it but it's more important for her to have the medicine than waste time and medicine bargaining with her.

You can't make them take it. Trust me
Take her back and get a shot. Makes life for you and her easier.

Another suggestion is to squirt the medicine between her cheek and gum - then they can't get their tongue behind it to spit it back out. Squirt only enough that she has to swallow it, not enough for her to be able to hold in her mouth - it takes a little bit, but there isn't as much of a fight.

At that age, my son would take medicine from a small medicine type cup. He was very good at drinking it himself. Another suggestion might be to call your pediatrician and see if this is medication is available in a shot and take back to get a shot. The holding her down method will only frighten her and continue to get worse.