What is an oral syringe?
An oral syringe is a device used to measure and administer liquid medicines via the mouth. While oral syringes are predominantly used to administer medicines to children, they can be used by patients of all ages, where they are unable to take medication in tablet form or by injection.
Compared with administering liquid medicines with a traditional 5ml spoon, oral syringes accurately measure each dose to make sure the child receives the right amount.
Oral syringes typically come in 1ml, 2.5ml, 5ml or 10ml sizes, with the most appropriate device chosen depending on the medication dose prescribed.
When to use an oral syringe
Oral syringes are most commonly used to administer medicines to children – designed to accurately measure doses for safety and compliance. The device is often used when small doses of medicine are prescribed that are difficult to measure and administer using a spoon.
Using an oral syringe, it is also possible to ‘taper’ medicine – gradually increasing or decreasing the dose of medicine given each day or week until a full dose is reached or the medicine is stopped.
How do you use an oral syringe?
Oral syringes are traditionally manufactured from plastic and have a nozzle on one end and a plunger which sits within the main body of the syringe.
When pulled up, this plunger enables liquid to be drawn up into the syringe. When pushed down, the plunger successfully expels the liquid via the nozzle and allows the medication to be administered directly into the mouth of the patient.
To use an oral syringe, follow these steps:
- Unscrew the cap of the medication and place the bung (an adapter designed to make it easier to withdraw medication using a syringe – typically supplied with your prescription) into the bottle.
- Place the tip of the syringe into the small hole in the centre of the bung.
- Tip the medicine bottle upside down.
- Pull the plunger back to draw medicine into the syringe. Use the markings on the syringe to withdraw the correct dosage of medication and stop pulling when this is reached.
- Turn the bottle upright and remove the syringe via the barrel – not the plunger.
- Check the syringe to make sure the dosage is right before placing the tip into the patient’s mouth.
- Gently press the plunger down, allowing the patient to swallow regularly – do not squirt the full contents at once.
- Remove the syringe from the patient’s mouth and place the lid back on the medication.
Can you reuse oral syringes?
Generally, plastic syringes are designed to be single-use, although patients may be advised to reuse oral syringes in some instances.
If an oral syringe is prescribed with medication or sold with over-the-counter medication, patients may be advised to wash the oral syringe after use and re-use it.
Patients should always check with a medical professional before reusing a syringe and should only allow an oral syringe to be used by one person, rather than shared by family members, for example.
In healthcare settings, however, it is not advisable to reuse oral syringes due to the risk of cross-contamination. If patients are being treated in a hospital or clinic, for example, oral syringes should be used only once and disposed of immediately.
What is the difference between oral syringes and injectable syringes?
Oral syringes are used to administer medication via the mouth, whereas injectable syringes are used alongside other equipment to administer medicine via other parts of the body. Both types of syringes should have clear markings on the barrel so that you can measure the amount of liquid in the syringe.
Injectable syringes also typically have a threaded tip, so a needle can be attached to it for use in subcutaneous, intramuscular and intravenous injections, as well as other types of parenteral deliveries.
Oral syringes don’t have threaded tips because no other equipment needs to be attached to them when medication is administered. However, there are various adapters which can be used with oral syringes to increase ease and accuracy when drawing liquid medicine in laboratory settings.
Syringes are available in various sizes and colours, and physicians will select which size syringe is appropriate depending on how the medication is to be administered, what the relevant dose is and how thick the liquid is. Oral syringes are typically amber or orange in colour, although oral syringes which are capable of administering more than 10mls of liquid may be clear.
Are syringes different for children and adults?
Oral syringes come in various sizes and capacities depending on the medication dose required. As children are often prescribed lower dosages of medication than adults, smaller syringes may be used to administer their medicine.
However, this is due to the amount of liquid being delivered, rather than being specifically due to the age of the patient.
What materials are used for oral syringes?
Oral syringes are predominantly made from plastic, with both the barrel, tip and plunger being constructed from this material.
The stopper, which sits inside the barrel on the end of the plunger, is usually made from rubber and is typically black in colour. This contrast in colours helps to accurately measure medication when it is drawn up into the syringe, while the rubber stopper creates a complete seal within the barrel and prevents the medication from leaking.
Oral syringes from Origin
Origin is committed to supporting the safe and compliant delivery of medication through all our pharmaceutical packaging products.
View our range of oral syringes – in sizes from 1ml to 10ml – compliant with industry standards and available with syringe adapters for safe delivery. Alternatively, chat with our expert team today to find out more about our products or how we work with you to develop a bespoke solution for your needs.
