Child Refusing to swallow pills?

Question

We are trying to teach our son to swallow pills. I have no problem with him being scared, or not being able to do it. We certainly dont expect him to be able to the first time. We have been trying for a long time now, but the problem is he just says no. He will not even try. When I tell him to do it, he will say no and will hold it in his mouth and will refuse to swallow the water. He has done it about three times before so knows he doesnt even feel it. He has watched us do it, and his brother do it, but still refuses. He says he doesnt like it. WHen asked why, he just says I dont know. Any ideas? I dont want to make this into a big deal and scare him from taking pills anymore than he is? But we cant even get him to try!!!

Answer 1

I wouldn't worry about it. My daughter took liquid medication for years.

My one son hated taking liquid medication & chewable pills so I had to start doing the ulternative pills when he was 4. It just depends on the child...relax.

Answer 2

maybe he doesnt like the taste. maybe instead of giving him the pill with water, use pop or a milkshake or something equally delicious. maybe he'll be so psyched about getting something yummy, he'll agree to take the pill.

Answer 3

An easy way to get a child to swallow solid pills is too crush them on a spoon and put something with is like honey and have them take it that way. When i was a child that is what my mother use to do.

Answer 4

Wow, sounds like you've got a little mini-rebellion on your hands. Well you know what my mom used to do? When I was a kid and told her I couldn't or didn't want to swallow a pill (most of the time it was aspirin), she would crush it up in a teaspoon of water and make me take it that way. It was SO gross, but I've always had a sensitive gag reflex, so there was pretty much no other choice. I had to take my medicine; there was no negotiation about it. And there shouldn't be with your son, either. He does not have a choice in the matter. He can either take it whole and be done with it in half a second, or he can have it crushed up in water and taken in a teaspoon, which is far nastier, but still gets the job done. Also, he might indeed have a sensitive gag reflex but doesn't know how to communicate that to you; ask him how he feels when he has to swallow a pill. If he says something like he feels like he's going to throw up or that it gets stuck in his throat, that gag reflex might be the problem. So in that case, there is one other thing you can do--this is another trick that my mom taught me as I got older and she realized that I really do gag with most pills unless they're pretty small--take a swallow of water FIRST, hold the water in your mouth instead of swallowing it, tip your head back, and slip the pill in your mouth, and swallow pill and water altogether. It makes it much easier to take. But my bet is that he just doesn't want to do it, and is making a mountain out of a molehill and rebelling. I bet if you offer him the choice of swallowing it whole or taking the Teaspoon Cocktail, he'll choose the former! lol...Hope this helps!

Answer 5

My father as a 50 year old man still cannot swallow pills.  Pathetic right?  I work in a pharmacy and this is very very normal.  We have teens/young adults even who still request liquid medication.  Imagine the gallon of amoxicillin we have to give them haha.  The best thing to do is practice taking vitamins.  You can even use little rewards depending on his age if he even tries.  Stickers or ice cream.  Give him some incentive.

Answer 6

My grand daughter is the same way. She's 11 now and refuses to take a pill. She says she'd rather the gross med than a gross tablet. I hated medicine and learned to swallow tabs at age 5 so I don't get it. YUCK!

Just let him go at his ow pace. He isn't hurting anyone. Just buy chewable vitamins for now.

Answer 7

I was the same as a kid, it drove my mom nuts.  It felt horrible at the back of my throat.  My mom always crushed pills, which tastes horrible.  I was about 11 or 12 before I found a way that didn't feel so bad.  I hold a little drink in my mouth and then pop the pill in real quick and swallow it all together.  Oh, I learned by practicing with a bag of skittles.

Answer 8

I was like that when I was a kid...probably not as bad....but I noticed that even still to this day I find it better to take my pills with milk.  Maybe try that instead....maybe he'll be more willing, I'm not sure.  Can't really say what his problem is.  But thought I'd still post and throw the milk thing out there for ya. How old is he?  I can remember probably around 8 and 9 my parents were still crushing and giving me pills in applesauce and stuff.

Answer 9

I was not afraid to take pills but for some reason I could not get it down!  I know, I can swallow chunks of food bigger than the tiny little pill- I has to be a mind thing.  Even now, I sometimes can't get the pill down.  One time when I was young I drank so much milk trying to get it down I vomited!  So my mom, and I even still do, would always ask the doctor if there was a liquid form that I could take.  I even asked for the chewable birth control!  FemCon Fe.

I would have to say it is a mind thing that I just have to over come- sometimes I can get it down and sometimes I can't.  I don't understand if he can swallow the pills why he would not want to take them.

Answer 10

If they are old enough to eat honey try crushing the pill up between two spoons and putting some honey on the spoon.  That's how my mom got me to take pills.  I loved it!

Answer 11

just back off for a while and wait till he feels really unwell to try again. Kids have to make up their own mind on doing this, and you get 8yo's trying to tell you they need the liquid version of meds. If these pills are absolutely necessary, try to get the 'baby version' for him, and make sure he hears you call them that, you can get all kinds in a liquid form, painkillers, vitamins, epilepsy meds, constipation stuff etc.

I take really big pills with food, or yoghurt, that works for me.