3 year old and Augmentin - HELP!!

Hi, I have a 3 year old little girl who was diagnosed on Monday with a double ear infection and sinusitis. Augmentin was prescribed. My daughter is absolutely refusing to take it, tonight was terrible with me trying to get her to take it, her spitting it out, it was all over her hair, her shirt. I had her stay in her room, thinking that she might give in. She did not. I even had candy to give her for taking it, did not work. Finally, I mixed it in with some ice cream and she ate the ice cream. I really need some suggestions for getting it into her twice a day. Have you mixed it with food? If so, what kind? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Mary

Oh man, Augmentin is some NASTY stuff. My son was just on it and we gave him it in a squirty measure thing (looks like a shot) and put it in his mouth as far as he could stand and then squirt it in trying to avoid his tongue as much as possible. Then we gave him spoonful of sugar (listen to Mary Poppins, she is the ultimate babysitter ~ Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down *dancing*). My only advice.

Augmentin should be taken with food to decrease the risk of diarrhea so you did right in mixing it with food you know your child will take! I don't think it matters what type of food as long as they take it. If it means ice cream twice a day so be it. The prescribing recommendations are that it be given at the start of a meal.

I am so sorry to hear that your daughter is sick. You might try to have a little pepsi on hand and tell her to take a sip of that first, then put the medicine dropper at the corner of her jaw. Good Luck! Sometimes, you can asked for it to be flavored wherever you get it filled. Hope she feels better soon.

Many pharmacies have flavorings that can be added to drugs that are prescribed. At our drugstore, you can choose from a list of about 20 flavors, such as strawberry, chocolate, peach, etc., although my daughter has never needed the flavorings. Ask your pharmacist if he/she can flavor the Augmentin. Sharon

ice cream toppings. Chocolate syrup, strawberry, caramel, anything really sweet that will help mask the taste. Gail

Ask your pediatrician for a new prescription so that you can replace the current Augmentan (?sp?) with the type that tastes like bubble gum. On the few occasions my son has had to take it, he gets excited knowing it's Augmentan because it's going to taste so good. I didn't know it came in flavors other than "bubble gum". I also recommend giving it to your daughter usin an oral syringe, so you can put it directly into her mouth and she can suck on it, rather than having her just drink it. If neccessary, see if you can get it in pill form, then cut up the pill in tiny pieces and mix it into spoonfuls of applesauce and pudding.

Yogurt also mixes well with Augmentin. Another choice to mask the taste is rootbeer...just give her a little sip before and after she takes it. My kids rarely get pop, so that is an incentive in itself in our household. It ice cream is working, it sounds good to me! Another person mentioned having the prescription flavored. Many pharmacies use a system called Flavor-Rx...I think Walgreens, Osco both have it...there are dozens of flavors to choose from. If I remember right, I think bubble gum and grape bubblegum both mask Augmentin pretty well. It just costs a couple of extra dollars. Final bit of advice...It may be partly a power struggle. When my kids were that age, it helped to let them give the dose to themselves. I measured the dose into an oral dose syringe and then I sat with them at the table while they squirted it into their mouth themself. They felt kind of grown-up and had ownership in making themselves better. I know some may object to this, thinking that it promotes self-medicating, but we used the opportunity to talk about medication and that the only okay medication is medicine that Mom and Dad would give the child. They took their antibiotic without a struggle and I got a chance to have an early anti-drug/poison prevention talk with them. This is probably more information that you were wanting! I've been home with fussy kids all day and REALLY need to talk to an adult! Peace, Jill

We are dealing with this problem, too. Gabriella has an ear infection and the dr prescribed Augmentin. She gulped it down last night, but tonight was a different story. She shook her head "no" and refused to open her mouth. We ended up putting it in the food she was eating and luckily, she didn't seem to notice. Good luck!!

My son used to chronically get ear infections. We, like Jill, used yogurt. Yogurt cultures also help to prevent diarrea that often shows up sometime between 3 and 5 days (or maybe that was 3 and 5 am I can't remember;)).

Old post I know, but in case anyone comes across this like I did when having an incredible struggle with Augmentin Duo. If like me you have tried all of the suggestions from mixing it with different yogurts, sugar, etc... here is another suggestion. Chocolate spread! If you have a chocolate spread (e.g. Nutella) it mixes really well with it and the chocolate completely disguises both the taste and texture. Had a breakthrough this morning after 3 days of absolute hell. He even called it yummy and wanted more... why didn’t I this of this 3 days ago!