My kids will take almost anything in chocolate syrup. A teaspoon or less, put the sprinkles (or crushed up tablets if this comes up with fever medications at some time) on the syrup, stir with-a toothpick and have them lick the spoon clean. You may want to offer him a tiny dab more after, as a reward.
on the other hand, have you worked at all with the mini m&m's for swallowing? used gentlyover time this method works for many of us. My youngest learned to swallow pills by age 2. He is allergic to artificial sweeteners AND he has asthma. Most medications are sweetened with artif sweetener. We did the choc syrup very successfully for quite a while, but also did the other. I was afraid if he got sick he might not be able to take fever medications, or something else if he couldn't swallow.
I suggest jelly, choc syrup, peanut butter, or whatever you can get to work. Is it possible to get a jelly he is not familiar with, like raspberry or blackberry? The one with the little seeds? He can get the grit and the taste, or just swallow it and have something nice to taste after? Tell him he can have his choice of 1 of 2 or 3 things to mix it in?
It occurs to me that you won't get the yucky medicine taste gone no matter how much you mix with the medications. Instead, let him have 1/2 to 1 tsp choc syrup or jelly with the medication, and a big spoonful after. Or a tiny ice cream cone, like one of the bluebell mini sandwiches or cones? I see them sometimes here. Then as you go you either cut the treat down to a second spoonful, or sub gradually more healthy things.
The point is to reward what you want and let the worry about sugar inthe morning go for the short term. Now with our kids the short term may be longer than we want it to be, and we don't take the reward away, we just cut it down or very gradually change it to something healthier. At some point the mini m&m's will work to help him learn to swallow.
If he is truly afraid, then you are not going to be able to talk him out of the choke-to-deathfear. You might be able to work with it by starting with a mini m&m frozen and cut in half. Show him how quickly a frozen mini m&m melts in his hand. And how small it is. Then try, when he is calm, to get him to swallow it. But be gentle.
Good luck,
Susie