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How can I make my 3-year-old son take the medicines?

Dr Vidya Gupta
Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist,
Indraprastha Apollo Hospital,
New Delhi

Q: My 3 years old son has recently been diagnosed with primary tuberculosis and the doctor has prescribed him three medicines to drink for the next six months. My problem is that my son doesn't want to drink two of these medicines and if we try to force him to take them through a syringe in the mouth, he vomits. Can I mix these syrups with juice and give him? The doctor told us that these medicines are better absorbed empty stomach, 30 minutes before a meal or two hours after a meal. How can I make him drink the syrups?

A:You cannot mix the medicine with food of any sort. You just have to cajole him into taking it by promising him a sweet 20 minutes after the medicine or something like that.