Teaching a child to swallow a pill?

ViolaMum · 08-04-2021, 09:42 AM

I'm not sure quite how to go about this. I have a teen who can't swallow pills. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

knitlove · 08-04-2021, 09:50 AM

My oldest started with a single grain of rice in a spoon full of broth. After she could do that we tried things like ticktacks.

I also teach it where you fill your mouth with water. Push the pill ( or tick tack) in to the mouth tio the head back and shake until the pill is in the back of the mouth and then swallow the water.
This is still how I take pills. The only issue is with herb pills or things that float where you have to point your nose down so the pill floats up to the back of your throat

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twoplustwo · 08-04-2021, 10:29 AM

You can try and put pills in applesauce. I have had a few kiddos who have needed that.

rdsmommy · 08-04-2021, 11:46 AM

I second the tictacs. Ds was a teen before he could swallow pills too. We used tic tacs. I used to have a trick for meds that taste bad too. I would put them under my tongue and then let them float up with whatever liquid I was drinking and swallow them without them touching my tongue. It helped prevent the gag reflex.

ViolaMum · 08-04-2021, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twoplustwo

You can try and put pills in applesauce. I have had a few kiddos who have needed that.

The whole pill? (You do NOT crush it first, correct?)

MegMarch · 08-04-2021, 12:56 PM

My 10 year old was offered the chance to learn with mini M&Ms or other small candies. But she apparently was training herself on macaroni without telling anyone

Ewww. But she can do it now and wasn't scared since the mac was soft enough to not feel scary to her. What she does now is take a drink of water to get her whole mouth and throat wet. Then a big drink of water held in her mouth, tips head back and makes a tiny hole in her pursed lips and pushes a pill through then takes another drink to swallow.

twoplustwo · 08-04-2021, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViolaMum

The whole pill? (You do NOT crush it first, correct?)

Yes, the whole pill. Some pills cannot be crushed bc itll ruin its extended release effect.

forty-two · 08-04-2021, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twoplustwo

You can try and put pills in applesauce. I have had a few kiddos who have needed that.

We've done yogurt, too, as well as applesauce. Get a spoonful, pop the pill on, and swallow the whole spoonful down.

JoannaV · 08-04-2021, 04:29 PM

Personally, I always found milk easier than water. (I guess milk is halfway between water and yogurt lol.) It helped the pill stay suspended in the liquid better.

ViolaMum · 08-04-2021, 04:36 PM

Thanks, everyone! So many good suggestions.

Maedchen · 08-04-2021, 04:44 PM

When my last was 3, she had a pill that our duty station could not liquefy. We practiced with English Peas.

Soliloquy · 08-04-2021, 09:46 PM

Start with something really small. Even a sesame seed pulled off a bun or roll. I like the idea of mini M&Ms, too.

The trick is to tell yourself there's nothing on your tongue and just drink as if nothing is there.

ViolaMum · 08-05-2021, 06:18 AM

She can do tic-tacs and the really small stuff. But she can't get down an ibuprofen tablet. I suspect it's a little more psychological than physical at this point.

knitlove · 08-05-2021, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViolaMum

She can do tic-tacs and the really small stuff. But she can't get down an ibuprofen tablet. I suspect it's a little more psychological than physical at this point.

Part of what got my girls over the psychological aspect was how nasty the liquid zertec taists - she quickly decied that it would be better to swallow the pill and then once she had swallowed a larger pill she has been able to do other ones with out issue

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

ViolaMum · 08-05-2021, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knitlove

Part of what got my girls over the psychological aspect was how nasty the liquid zertec taists - she quickly decied that it would be better to swallow the pill and then once she had swallowed a larger pill she has been able to do other ones with out issue

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I have one who actually LIKES Zyrtec.

08-04-2021, 09:42 AM	#1
ViolaMum Rose Garden Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5,542	Teaching a child to swallow a pill? I'm not sure quite how to go about this. I have a teen who can't swallow pills. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! __________________ Darcy married to my Photographic Genius (1/00) Mom to: Prima, Secunda, Tertia, and Quarta Youth and Beauty are fleeting, but the ability to bake a great chocolate cake lasts forever!

08-04-2021, 09:50 AM	#2
knitlove Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle area Posts: 21,260	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? My oldest started with a single grain of rice in a spoon full of broth. After she could do that we tried things like ticktacks. I also teach it where you fill your mouth with water. Push the pill ( or tick tack) in to the mouth tio the head back and shake until the pill is in the back of the mouth and then swallow the water. This is still how I take pills. The only issue is with herb pills or things that float where you have to point your nose down so the pill floats up to the back of your throat Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk __________________ Wife to a wonderful DH for 19 years. Momma to my 29 weeker Early Bird who is thirteen and my little Wiggle Worm born 33 weeks who is nine. How do I have a teenager?! I don't feel ready for this.

08-04-2021, 10:29 AM	#3
twoplustwo Moderator Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 6,531	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? You can try and put pills in applesauce. I have had a few kiddos who have needed that. __________________ ESFJ DYT 3/2, Enneagram 9w8 married to My Guy (2003) mom to: Cherished (dd, 12/2005) Warrior (ds, 07/2007) saved & baptized (2004) Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16

08-04-2021, 11:46 AM	#4
rdsmommy Rose Trellis Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 1,506	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? I second the tictacs. Ds was a teen before he could swallow pills too. We used tic tacs. I used to have a trick for meds that taste bad too. I would put them under my tongue and then let them float up with whatever liquid I was drinking and swallow them without them touching my tongue. It helped prevent the gag reflex.

08-04-2021, 12:56 PM	#6
MegMarch Rose Garden Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 5,922	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? My 10 year old was offered the chance to learn with mini M&Ms or other small candies. But she apparently was training herself on macaroni without telling anyone Ewww. But she can do it now and wasn't scared since the mac was soft enough to not feel scary to her. What she does now is take a drink of water to get her whole mouth and throat wet. Then a big drink of water held in her mouth, tips head back and makes a tiny hole in her pursed lips and pushes a pill through then takes another drink to swallow.

08-04-2021, 04:29 PM	#9
JoannaV Rose Trellis Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: VA, USA Posts: 2,606	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? Personally, I always found milk easier than water. (I guess milk is halfway between water and yogurt lol.) It helped the pill stay suspended in the liquid better. __________________ Joanna INTJ A Brit living in America DH (ISFP) 07/09 DS1 01/12 DS2 06/14 DD1 01/16

08-04-2021, 04:36 PM	#10
ViolaMum Rose Garden Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5,542	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? Thanks, everyone! So many good suggestions. __________________ Darcy married to my Photographic Genius (1/00) Mom to: Prima, Secunda, Tertia, and Quarta Youth and Beauty are fleeting, but the ability to bake a great chocolate cake lasts forever!

08-04-2021, 04:44 PM	#11
Maedchen Rose Trellis Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 2,482	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? When my last was 3, she had a pill that our duty station could not liquefy. We practiced with English Peas.

08-04-2021, 09:46 PM	#12
Soliloquy Rose Garden Why climb a mountain? Because it's there! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Selkirk Mountains Posts: 52,860	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? Start with something really small. Even a sesame seed pulled off a bun or roll. I like the idea of mini M&Ms, too. The trick is to tell yourself there's nothing on your tongue and just drink as if nothing is there.

08-05-2021, 06:18 AM	#13
ViolaMum Rose Garden Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 5,542	Re: Teaching a child to swallow a pill? She can do tic-tacs and the really small stuff. But she can't get down an ibuprofen tablet. I suspect it's a little more psychological than physical at this point. __________________ Darcy married to my Photographic Genius (1/00) Mom to: Prima, Secunda, Tertia, and Quarta Youth and Beauty are fleeting, but the ability to bake a great chocolate cake lasts forever!

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