How can I help my son learn how to swallow a pill?

Question

My son is 5 years old and has been diagnosed with ADHD. He's recently been put on Concerta, and you can only swallow this pill. We've tried ones he can chew and ones where you can sprinkle it on food, and neither of these worked for him. The Concerta is working great, however, i practically have to shove it down his throat in order for him to take it becuase he can't swallow it. Any idea's on how to help him learn how to swallow this pill?

Answer 1

There's also a natural remedy that is in a drop form that you put into their morning juice - no pill to swallow.  Look at the site and check with your doctor.

http://www.adhd-information.org/focus-na...

Answer 2

my brother had a prob swallowing pills, he took chewable tylenol when he was 15!! ive heard that letting them drink something out of a bottle, like a soda bottle, helps

Answer 3

Use a straw, my kids take allergy pills everyday and my youngest started at 5, she is now 7 and just started being able to swallow one without a straw but still prefers one. They put it as far back on their tongue as they can and then drink fast out of the straw. It just takes practice. And they take their antibiotics this way now, it is great to be past the yucky liquids as they call it. If the pill is large we cut it in half, but you need a pill cutter, knives just waste the majority of a pill.

Answer 4

you could try and practice with something like mints small ones likes tic tacs and tell him just to drink the mint or something like that

Answer 5

before the pill, give him solid food to chew on, like a cookie or a banana, something quite easy to be chewed...then right before he swallows it entirely, place the pill at the top of the chewed food and have him swallow...this is how my mother trained me to take tablets and capsules (shes a doctor)

Answer 6

I was the same as a kid...still have a hard time now and use the same technique.... Tell him to place the pill near the back of his tongue, take a BIG swig of juice, and try to 'float' the pill in his mouth, counting to 3 in his head...Then, just as a previous writer suggested, toss the head back and swallow.  Try to make a game of it.

The floating thing really worked for me.

Answer 7

My son just started ADHD medicine, and we had the same issue.  He puts the pill on the far back of his tongue, nearly gagging, and chugs a cup of milk, and prays it goes down, sometimes we have to try a few times, or fish it out of his glass!  He feels so great when he gets it down the first try!  I don't know of an easier way ... the first few days he was chugging the milk so fast the was pouring it all down his belly, it was a MESS!!  Good luck.  Let me know if you find a better way!

(that tic-tac idea is GREAT!)

You can't use pill cutters on most ADHD meds, they are meant to be slowly time released, cutting them would give too much med and wouldn't last long enough!

Answer 8

Have him place the pill as far back as he can on his tongue before taking a big gulp of water and then have him swallow while he tilts his head back at the same time...the tilting of the head helps it go down the throat instead of remaining in his mouth :)

With practice...he'll be just fine...it will take a time or two for him to get used to it, ok? :)

Answer 9

If I am not mistaken, I think that concerta is one of the "bigger pills" like focalin- we tried buying orange tic-tac's and swallowing them. We also tried putting it in a spoonsize scoop of ice cream and having him swallow  that and it worked well until he learned how...

Answer 10

put it in somethinglike applesauce or yogurt - that he doesn't have to chew.