Children and babies are often prescribed doses of liquid medicine that are very small or hard to measure using a normal 5ml medicine spoon. In addition, babies and small children may not be able to take the medicine from a spoon. An oral syringe is a measuring device used to accurately measure small doses of liquid medicine, which are then given to your child by mouth.

Syringes come in various sizes. The most common sizes are 1ml and 5ml syringes, but you can get 10ml and larger syringes. Liquid medicine doses are often expressed in terms of millilitres or ml. The printed label on the bottle will provide instructions as to how much of the medicine should be given to your child.

How to use an oral syringe

• If the medicine is a suspension the label will remind you to shake the bottle.

• Turn the bottle at an angle.

• Pull the plunger of the syringe back so that the medicine is drawn from the bottle into the syringe. Pull the plunger back to the point on the scale that corresponds to the dose prescribed for your child. Your pharmacist will normally have marked on the syringe the point to draw the plunger back to. If you are at all confused about how much medicine to draw into the syringe, ask your pharmacist or doctor to clarify this for you.

• Turn the bottle back the right way up and carefully remove the syringe from the bung, holding it by the barrel rather than the plunger.

• Gently put the tip of the syringe into the child’s mouth, to the inside of the child’s cheek.

• Slowly and gently push the plunger down to gently squirt the medicine into the inside of your child’s cheek. Allow them to swallow it. DO NOT forcefully push down the plunger, or squirt the medicine to the back of the child’s mouth or throat, as your child may choke.

• Remove the syringe from your child’s mouth.

• Replace the lid on the bottle.

• Rinse the syringe in warm water and leave to dry.

• Repeat the above for each dose as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist.

• If the medicine is an antibiotic make sure your child completes the prescribed course, even if your child seems better.

Other useful advice

• Store your child’s medicine as directed on the bottle. Some, but not all, liquid medicines need to be kept in the fridge, in which case make sure that they are inaccessible to children.

• Always keep medicines out of the reach of children.

• If you forget to give your child a dose of medicine, give the dose as soon as you remember, and then go on as before.

• Always follow the printed label on the bottle and use your medicines as directed by your doctor or pharmacist.

• Don’t give your child’s medicines to anyone else to use, even if they have the same symptoms as your child. They may be harmful to other people.

• Don’t use medicines after the expiry date on the bottle.