A message to doctors prescribing flucloxacillin to toddlers because it's "cheap"

My granddaughter has been put on the antibiotic syrup Flucloxacillin.

I believe doctors prescribe it on the National Health Service because it works, but most of all because it's cheap.

I would like all doctors in England to know that this medicine is the most ghastly tasting concoction ever invented by a drug company (presumably for the NHS). The idea that you might think toddlers should take it is is quite extraordinarily ignorant. The idea that it is designed by to be "children's medicine" is bizarre.

It is not cheap, in fact. The anguish that parents go through as they force their toddler to swallow the vile stuff, watching them as they gag and struggle to escape in every way possible is a dreadful ordeal for the parents. But, more importantly, psychologically, the child endures the situation of actual child abuse as their once loving parents' hands now manacle and overpower them and they are force-fed viciously bitter fluid that makes them retch and choke. Doing this to your child is abuse at the hands of our doctors prescribing "cheaply". Doing it four times a day for five days is costly in terms of emotion and trust.

My granddaughter is supposed to take flucloxacillin syrup for five days to treat one tiny school sore (impetigo) on her lip.

I am not an ignoramus about this topic having lived in Africa where impetigo is rife. No-one had to undergo such outrageous torture to get rid of it!

So, I ask all doctors in England to re-think prescribing flucloxacillin to toddlers. If you think I'm exaggerating, test it out on your own toddler. I bet you would not cause yourself to endure the experience for five days.

No, you would prescribe something a little more expensive, and palatable.

The following exerpt  is laughably out of touch with reality in the case of small children especially "It is important that you give your child the whole dose each time."

This is from the NHS Website

 Liquid medicine: Shake the medicine well. Measure out the right amount using a medicine spoon or oral syringe. You can get these from your pharmacist. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give the right amount. You can also dilute the right amount of medicine (measured with a spoon) in a small amount of water or milk. Make sure your child takes it all straight away.

It is important that you give your child the whole dose each time.

When should the medicine start working?

Your child should start to get better after taking the medicine for 2 days. It is important that they take the whole course of medicine that has been prescribed. Do not stop early.

What if my child is sick (vomits)?

• If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a dose of flucloxacillin, give them the same dose again.
• If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having a dose of flucloxacillin, you do not need to give them another dose. Wait until the next normal dose.