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Strattera Question

Linda - posted on 01/09/2011 ( 4 moms have responded )

Hi Everyone! My 8 yr old son who has Aspergers just started on Strattera 3 weeks ago. We are having a tough time getting him to take it. How do you all give it to your kids if they can't swallow. We have tried to open the capsule, but have a tough time getting the powder out of it. We've tried soaking it in juice and then putting it in applesauce, but he tends to bite it.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It seems to be doing a good job. Not sure about how good is level of focus is in the afternoon at school, but he is interacting more with his peers and is less whiney.

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Rita - posted on 01/12/2011

Ohhhhh Linda,

I can sooo sympathise with you with that..... But please, just try a bit of that powder inside yourself..... it is totally feral.... I used to split the capsule and put it in yoghurt, but a BIG spoon of yoghurt, and put the powder right in the middle... PLEASE BE CAREFUL... you must wash your hands afterward, as if it gets in your eyes.. you're in big trouble.... It got to be such a fight in our house for him to take it, you wondered if it was worth it...

Finally on a trip back to the paediatrician, she gave me a pamphlet on how to help children take the capsules... it gave you a few options... The one that worked with my son, was for him to have a drink before putting the capsule in his mouth, that way his mouth is all wet and 'slippery', then get him to place the capsule as far back on his tongue as he can manage and to take another drink. Because of the 'funny' taste, I always had something there for him to eat straight afterwards because he also complained of being able to 'taste' the powder 40 mins after taking the capsule, this resolved with the food.

Is there anything that he really likes, such as yoghurt, jam, even icecream... let him see it as a treat to take the tablet, one spoon of icecream before breakfast with his tablet might be the trick. Any food that is 'slippery' is good to help it go down. I will hunt for the pamphlet and let you know the other ones...

None of this might work, but just remember, what hasn't worked for you in the past, may work in the future.

Cheers

Rita
Del

Katherine - posted on 01/11/2011

65,405

232

Have you tried to see if there are dissolvable tablets? I'm pretty sure there are.

Alet - posted on 01/11/2011

My son is almost thirteen and has been on Strattera since he was 7. I never had a problem with him taking the capsule, showed him how small it is vs a jellybean and that it can be swallowed with ease. He practised swallowing a jelleybean and had no problems with the capsule!