Giving medicines to babies and young children

What you do

For infants

  • Use dropper or syringe to put one drop at a time onto tongue and wait for them to swallow — Figure 6.18
  • OR use syringe nozzle between gums and cheek to give small amounts at a time — wait for swallow reflex
  • OR if breast fed — use syringe nozzle between breast and side of baby’s mouth to give small amounts at a time — Figure 6.19

Figure 6.18  

Figure 6.19  

For young children

  • Hold in positions shown — Figure 6.20, Figure 6.21, Figure 6.22
    • If kicking — put legs between carer’s thighs and ask carer to hold tight
  • For medicine — use syringe or cup. If cup, keep medicine cup to lips, so if child spits out syrup you can catch it and give it to them again
  • A fruit syrup may be used to improve the taste of medicine but makes the volume larger
  • Older children can be taught to swallow tablets where the dose allows. This is more reliable dosing and easier for parent and child

Figure 6.20  

Figure 6.21  

Figure 6.22  

Supporting resources