Surreptitiously hiding calpol in milk

[Lochie]

I have a poorly little boy (streaming cold, vomiting, sore throat) who won't take calpol via spoon or syringe (he is 10 months). He just clamps his mouth firmly shut. When I covertly get the spoon in his mouth mid cry, it all dribbles out again...yaaargh!

I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried putting calpol in with some milk and if so does the milk still flow out the teat easily, and is calpol flavoursome enough for it to be detected in milk? I guess I have to try it out for myself, its just I also have the same bug and would like some sleep tonight and am thinking about trying to put a spoonful of calpol in the post bath bottle before bedtime!

If anyone has tried this technique or other sucessful ways of feeding calpol I'd love some tips

[Fuschia]

Ask GP to prescribe paracetemol as a suppository? That's what they use in hospital...

Also, try buying a generic paracetemol syrup, being a different flavour might fool him....

[TillieTrotter]

It's been a long time since I had little ones but I used to put it in milk or boiled water. Just use whatever method works. Good luck.

[Lochie]

Hmmm yes thanks I know Nurofen do similar thing in orange flavour kids syrup. I might give that another go and see doc if doesn't improve by tomorrow. It seems more to be a case of when you take a dog to the vets (if you ever have!) and the dog knows where its going before he even gets to the vet and starts dragging his heels - baby seems to know calpol is heading for his mouth before I've even unscrewed the bottle...and then all hell breaks loose! :-S

[Lochie]

Ok thanks TT as well, if you have tried it in milk then i'll give it a go tonight

[buggie]

If you do put it into milk, just add it to a small amount, otherwise you'll need to ensure they have the whole bottle to have the dose (and if you're going by whats suggested on the pack you'll need the whole dose as it's prob on the conservative side).

If you want to try giving it orally, ask the chemist for syringes as their much easier to moderate how quickly you give the medicine and you can aim it into their cheeks (more difficult for them to spit it out!), and blowing on their face can make them swallow as a reflex action.

..... ok, think that's all the paeds nurse secrets I can let you in on!

[Fuschia]

Nurofen comes with a useful syringe thingy... second the medicine in cheek idea...

[jac428]

Agree with using the syringe in the back of the cheek. You can also try adding it to a little apple juice if he drinks/likes this. I don't know if I would put in his milk as I agree he would have to drink the whole bottle to ensure he received the full does. It also may make the milk taste funny and put him off it.

[Belle]

we tried everything with recent horrid tasting antibiotics. in the end I would put my son on my lap so that he was almost horizontal, with head leaning back, and use the syringe in side of cheek method mentioned enough. the little demon would sometimes grin at me, hold it there and spurt it back but after a few goes we got into a (slightly horribly enforced) rhythm. I usually have a treat to give him after, even if it's just a bit of fruit or whatever he likes. I know how awful it is though and my son would scream so loudly, I used to think the neighbours would come round to see what was wrong.

[Lochie]

Ok syringe defo worth a go then I haven't tried that since he was much younger but worth a go now. thanks for tips x

[nicolemodesti]

Had a similar experience with spoon at 10 months and went back to syringe. Agree with Belle that they can be sneaky and spit it back out. Holding my sons cheeks like a goldfish seemed to work for us. Just wait until your son is approaching 2 and gladly asks for medicine like some drug addict!!

[snss75]

My son didn't used to take his calpol or any other medicine, vitamines etc. at all! Tried mixing with milk, juice, water, yoghurt and anything I could think of but he'd see right through it. The only way we got him to take his antiobiotics was by using syringe and force (yes, it took two people...). If you're finding it difficult get the suppositories from GP, they are perfect for babies & small children, where I come from they are the standard form of pain/fever relief for the little ones and available as Panadol suppositories without prescription. Much less hassle & heartache and at least you can be sure they go in! Now that he's 4 he can luckily be bribed into taking his medicine :))

[ryedalema]

Yes we hid/hide Calpol in milk - I'm sure it's not recommended but we're very very careful with dosages. Also we bought a dummy thing with a medicine dispenser on the back. It's basically a normal dummy but you open up the back and pour the medicine in, then they suck it in through small holes in the 'teat'. A complete godsend - I think we bought it from Mothercare.

Good luck xxx

[standswithfist]

Yes i definately put the Calpol in the milk. She is fine with that but can tell if its nurofen or ibuprofen and refuses to drink the milk. but calpol is ok.

sounds like she has it a lot but only these last few months she has had it on occasion due to chicken pox and all her teeth coming through.

[alieh]

You could also try Disprol, which is also paracetamol but it is dissolving tablets that you can put in milk or in a little bit of water. My son loves the taste of it!

[Sanne Panne]

I have suppositories from Holland (exact ingredients are printed on each suppository: "paracetamol 120mg" or "paracetamol 240mg" so no worries about it being foreign/dodgy), it's the only way they administer paracetamol to babies and toddlers there. There are no other ingredients, it's just vaseline and paracetamol. If you can't get a hold of suppositories through your GP easily (or manage the back of the cheek or the milk/water/juice trick) by tomorrow feel free to pm me and you can pick a few up from my place.

[Belle]

have to say I think I'd have even less chance of getting a suppository in with my son, changing his nappy is bad enough in terms of keeping him still!

[intexasatthe moment]

Another vote for Disprol here .

[caroline_green]

Hi,

have you considered not giving him Calpol at all? It contains a list of E numbers and is therefore banned in countries like France or Sweden.

Before consider using it you may would like to read this article Behind the label - Calpol

Why not ask you GP for an alternative and a good old cup of warm herbal tea. (thyme tea is very beneficial for colds)

[edanna]

I don't think articles on The Ecologist are neutral or balanced. See, or rather don't see, the article on infant formula aka 'baby junk food'. (and no, I don't want to open up that particular debate again!)

[Bellenden Jo]

I found the only way when they were small was syringe and brute force. They needed the medicine whether they wanted it or not. Sounds really mean, but it did work, and now they take all medicine really well. (They know that they take it the easy way or the hard way!).

[Keef]

My daughter used to lap up Calpol, but recently had some horrid antibiotic, that tasted of aniseed, and it has put her off anything in a spoon or syringe.

What has worked quite well with Calpol is mixing it in a strawberry Petit Filous, as they are not very big, so it's easy to make sure she gets the whole lot. I know they have sugar in them and are not ideal, but frankly, I'd rather her feel better than worry about what she eats.

As an aside, what sort of idiot decided that aniseed was a good flavour for a medicine. Surely it's one of those flavours that you love or hate, they may as well do Marmite flavoured medicine!

[buggie]

...is it bad that I'm thinking aniseed flavoured medicine sounds great!?

[tommy]

Calpol has a tendancy to settle to the bottom of milk - so give it a good shake or stir

I forgot once and little one pointed to the bottom of the bottle and said "Ribena"....still drank it though

[Lochie]

thanks everyone, I tried the syringe but the calpol just came dribbling back out of his mouth. Knowing my little boy the petit filous idea sounds like the one he will go for the most! He is better now though but will bear that in mind next time. Thanks for all the tips x