Capri Sun trick: Lena Gercke reveals her mummy hack for sick children

Necessity is the mother of invention. And in their desperation, parents often come up with the most creative solutions. A clever idea for sick children is doing the rounds on social media these days: German model Lena Gercke shows in a video tutorial on her Instagram account how she manages to give her three-year-old daughter medicine despite resistance.

All you need is a Capri Sun and a sharp object. And a bit of audacity.

Juice + Smoothies

Capri-Sonne CSu Orange 0,2l TP

1 x 200 cl

Bottle openers

EVA Waiter's corkscrew

Sommelier knife

98

Other literature

On audacity, on suspicion, and on boasting. The collected essays

Francis Bacon, German

Juice + Smoothies

Capri-Sonne CSu Orange 0,2l TP

1 x 200 cl

Bottle openers

EVA Waiter's corkscrew

Sommelier knife

98

Other literature

On audacity, on suspicion, and on boasting. The collected essays

Francis Bacon, German

Punch another hole in the back wall of the bag behind the pre-punched straw hole. Straw in the front, out the back - and directly into a small cup in which you have previously mixed some Capri Sun with the medicine. Then hold the whole dummy out for the child to drink. Of course, without them seeing the medicine cup at the back.

Followers vote Gercke "Mother of the Year"

Gercke is convinced of her hack: "Best trick ever, guys. My daughter is really smart about this kind of thing, but it works," enthuses the 35-year-old. And the response is also euphoric: German portals are reporting on it, 30,000 people like the post (as of Thursday morning, 24 August) and more than 460 mostly positive comments land under the post.

"Ingenious trick", "Sensational!!!" and "Mum of the year" are just some of the comments. They are joined by prominent voices: "Mega!!! Never been able to give Carlo cough syrup or anything like that before," writes fellow model Svenja Holtmann. Singer Sarah Engels shares the tutorial on her own account.

Beware of the mixing effect

But there are also a few critical voices. For example, that the hack is an age-old ploy (although Gercke never claimed to have invented it herself). That you shouldn't take the piss out of your child like that (but what if the child doesn't want to take an important medication?) And that the Capri Sun could influence the effect of the medication. Okay, a valid objection.

In fact, here's the catch: citrus juices can reduce the effect of certain medications. And by up to two thirds, as experts warned at a conference of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia back in 2008. Grapefruit juices in particular interfere with the effect, but orange and apple juices can also have an impact. If you want to be on the safe side, you should therefore always check with your doctor or pharmacy first.

Or avoid blending altogether. You can also use the Capri Sun trick: simply insert the straw into the pure medicine at the back of the sachet. Unfortunately, this "trick" will only work once for your sharp-witted child.