When six-year-old Seren was prescribed antibiotics, taking them four times a day quickly became a battle. The orange liquid tasted revolting, and much of it ended up on kitchen surfaces rather than in her mouth. Her mother was never sure how much she had actually swallowed, but was afraid to give her more in case the dosage was exceeded.

The final straw came on day five, when the bottle was knocked over and the remaining dose spilled across the floor. The family gave up. Seren never finished the course.

This is a situation I come across as a GP, which happens all too often in my clinical practice. But a new paper from my colleagues and I suggests that a solution may be to encourage more children to take tablets.

Liquid medicines are commonly prescribed for children. They are widely assumed to be the safest and most practical option. In reality, they can be difficult to give and easy to get wrong.

Children may spit liquid medicine out, swallow only part of it, or refuse it altogether. Measuring doses accurately can be difficult with a distressed or wriggling child, and many formulations are unpalatable. Liquids spoil quickly, with refrigeration often required. Together, these factors increase the likelihood........

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