How do I get a 6yr old to take a pill?

Shannon - posted on 01/22/2009

Is it a capsule? I would open it for my daughter and put it in apple sauce. If it isnt I would give it in apple sauce anyway, easier to swallow.

Heidi-Lee - posted on 01/22/2009

How I got my daughter to start taking her pills was to put it in something. We got a teaspoon and put the pill in pudding or jam or something taht she liked. After she ate that bite she got to finish the pudding, or if it was jam, she got a special drink. I hope this helps you.

Nicole - posted on 01/22/2009

Well, what we have done with our 9 year old, when he was just beginning to take pills, is this: We place the pill way back in his throat, and, then make him drink someting real fast. Worked like a charm. He was anxiety ridden over the pill, too. He has been successfully taking the pills since the age 5.

Cristina - posted on 01/22/2009

Lisa, my 11 year old son takes alot of medication and it was torture to get him to take one when we started. I would hide the pill in his yogurt or apple sauce and had him swallow a spoon full. On some capsules I would open the capsule and place the medication inside of the capsule in a spoonfull of applesauce or yogurt.  At the time of taking the meds if "Go Gourts" was what my son liked that is what I used.  You are going to have to be creative untill he gets ajusted.  Now my sone takes all his meds at one time with no problems and no applesauce.  Just like an adult.  Good luck I know it can be tedius.

Cristina

Sharon - posted on 01/21/2009

we totally went thru same thing... try the plastic spoon/applesauce/yogurt/sf pudding... whatever he likes. my son takes 6 pills in am (more but smaller pills) one at a time. He sits in my lap and he watches to make sure i only do one at a time and that i put the "right" amount of applesauce on the spoon. He's almost nine and we started when he was 5. It's still a challenge but it's routine. Try to play little games... you get a bite of X after each pill, race to see if you can take the pill before I get the next one ready on the spoon (i always let him win and make a big deal about how he beat mommy and he;s so fast etc, etc... i have done many things. at almost 9, we now use, lose a priviledge if I get to 5... no DS, no wii today... 1-2-3-4-5... again, i try to give him every opportunity to not lose. i.e. i count pretty slow depending on how we're doing and i might stop after 4 and remind him if i say 5 he is going to lose X...

I am with u! Good luck!

Sharon - posted on 01/21/2009

Quoting Lisa:

Plus I think he is so paranoid of the pills..he looks for them in his food..I tried a straw which worked great ONE time...this is just soooo exausting..day after day! I think I may have ask for a different med ....

Sharon - posted on 01/21/2009

plastic spoon with chilled applesauce. plastic spoons are thinner texture for less gag reflex. chilled applesauce holds the pill more hidden. i just put about half a spoon of applesauce. too much and he gags. good luck!

Mira - posted on 01/21/2009

Quoting Lisa:

How do I get a 6yr old to take a pill?

My son has to start taking medication and we are having a really hard time getting him to swollow them. He has done it on a few occasions but still fights everytime..is there an easier way?

We are about to embark on the same journey. I have begun having my son swallow M&Ms. If he doesn't succeed, he is not left with a horrible taste in his mouth. It is how I learned when I was young.

Amie - posted on 01/21/2009

My son takes a time released pill so it can't be crushed. It can however be opened and sprinkled on food as long as he doesn't chew it. (It's the little things inside that can't be broken) He eats yogurt every day for breakfast anyway so presto! Our Ped told us to let him practice swallowing with food things too. Mini M&Ms, tic tac, even small dried cranberries. We haven't really tried practicing, because the yogurt works great. When he's older and more self concious, we will make swallowing it more of a priority. Good luck!

Martha - posted on 01/21/2009

our Dr.suggested putting water in our daughters mouth, then the pill, then swallow....didnt really need to try, since shes been swallowing pills since about 3, but it's worth a shot. HTH

Abbey - posted on 01/21/2009

My doctor had us practice with orange tic tacs when my son was age 6. Worked perfectly because he thought he was getting a treat and he learned really quickly how to swallow. He was able to get his Concerta down within 2 days. Hope that helps!!

Lisa - posted on 01/21/2009

Plus I think he is so paranoid of the pills..he looks for them in his food..I tried a straw which worked great ONE time...this is just soooo exausting..day after day! I think I may have ask for a different med ....

Lisa - posted on 01/21/2009

It is a time released medication so we can't do anything to it!! this is nuts!! now that it has been 7 days we are suppose to start him on 2!!! pills....yea right!!

Kristen - posted on 01/20/2009

My son also couldn't swallow pills. He takes a spoon of yogurt & puts his pill in & swallows it that way. Being he takes an extended release pill, we don't want to break it open.

Angel - posted on 01/20/2009

Hi Lisa

Can you perhaps let him "practice" with something smaller and move up... like tictacs or something?

If I may askl- what is he taking? Perhaps you can open it/ crush it and sprinkle it on apple sauce, but if its a time release tablet/ capsule you won't have that option.

Good luck.

Tarsha - posted on 01/20/2009

Hi there I used to have the same problem with my son when he first started taking them around the age of 7. I have found hiding it in something that he really enjoys and wont think twice about eating it. I buy the snack size caramello chocolates and hide the pill inside. He just bites it straight away job done. Try crushing it and hiding it in something sweet. We used to also give it to him in something called nutella. Its chocolate spread. Good luck I hope that I have helped.

Kim - posted on 01/20/2009

Can you open the medicine and sprinkle on food?  My son will not swallow his pill either.  He takes Focalin and we sprinkle it over apple sauce or yogurt.  I know that some medicine you can not do this with.