how to teach my son to take a pill? You'd think I would know this....

[battlemaiden]

My son has to take 4 pills a day for 10 days. Today was a difficult first day. He hasn't had to take pills before and the doctor and I agreed that 11yo is a good time to start.

Other than, "put the pill at the back of your tongue and wash it back witht he water", what can I say?

Thanks.

Jo

By the way- it's Keflex in capsule form, about the same as a tylenol capsule.

[Laurel]

I don't know, but while you're at it, can you teach me how as well? I am so bad at swallowing pills.

For me, sometimes it helps to lean my head back a little bit. And if I'm having a hard time, I take the pill out of my mouth and breathe for a little bit. If the coating starts to dissolve, then the pill starts to taste nasty, and then it's even harder.

[Sue in St Pete]

that's how ds learned. He's 12 and okay with it now.

[jail warden]

My 6 & 8 yo take small pills. I have them put it on the back of their tongue and snap their head a bit back as they swallow. Also, my dh has told them just swallow the water, anotherwards don't even think about the pill. It works. HTH!:D

[EKS]

I put the pill right behind my teeth (lift the tongue). This way I can't taste the pill. Then I take a swig of water, sweeping the pill into the water and there it is.

[Cindyg]

http://www.oralflo.com/

But also do a websearch on "swallow a pill." I saw a lot of articles when I was looking for this link for you.

[Janna]

Both of my kids 9 and 6, have had no problem taking pills because I've only had them take them with a straw. For some reason, putting the pill in their mouth, then taking liquid through a straw, forces them to concentrate on getting the liquid through the straw and then swallowing. It's worked like a charm from day 1 for both of them.

Hope that helps!

[Amy from WT]

I love the straw hint! Bet that works great.

I have another hint that worked really well for my kids when they had to learn. I got this from the nurse at the ER when my oldest daughter had to learn.

Practice with mini M&Ms and a water bottle with a circular opening at the top of the bottle. For some reason, the position that you put your mouth in to drink from that kind of bottle is the perfect position to swallow a pill. Put the mini M&M on the back of your tongue, take a swig of the water from the bottle, and voila - it goes down!

All three of my children learned to take pills in under 5 tries with this method.

But don't use the "squirty" kind of water bottle - it has to be the kind that you actually put up to your lips and drink from.

[readwithem]

Put it in apple sauce or yogurt.

My 16 yo dd has just recently (!!) learned to take horse pills. Another option would be to get his meds in liquid or chewable form.

My dd finds the "coated" pills easier to swallow (no pun intended!). :)

[Jodi-FL]

after he puts it in his mouth, and adds a little liquid, have him tilt his head forward to swallow, as the pill will float to the back of his throat. I used to work for a doctor, and never had a patient who couldn't swallow a capsule like that.

[lynn]

Keep drinking the water until the pill goes down. Or I've heard it recommended to have children practice with m&m's. nt

[Heather in the Kootenays]

I had to resort to threats with ds's malaria pills - no pills, no trip. It worked but felt a bit extreme.

[Tonia]

I learned how to swallow pills by practicing with smarties. :0)

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Other than, "put the pill at the back of your tongue and wash it back witht he water", what can I say?



My husband drinks a mouthful of water first, sneaks the pill into the water, then swallows. He doesn't like the feel of the pill on his tongue by itself.

[HeatherH]

Our pedi recommends starting with sprinkles (shots? Jimmies? depends on where you're from!) and then moving up to tic tacs before the real thing

HTH!