Re: Help for Kids Swallowing Pills

January 25, 2006

Dear Tammy

I thank you so much for this but when I went to the page all my computer said

was unable to see page. I sure can use one for my . She too can't

swallow pills this would be just the thing for her.

hugs; paulette

Tammy Zeigler <rstlz@...> wrote:

As I was quickly skimming through the e-mails (I'm so sorry that my life

is so hectic I don't have time to read each one right now!!), I saw some

discussion about how difficult it is for kids to take pills and the

insensitivity of some physicians. I totally agree that if a kid can't

take a pill, a doctor should not insist on prescribing pills, or else

help to come up with some solution to help the child get that medication

down!

My daughter is eight, and about two years ago, she started taking

oral methotrexate. She was taking three pills at the time. We started

out mixing those pills with half of a spoonful of peanut butter, which

she would eat from the spoon. After a few weeks of that, I could tell it

was going to get old REALLY quickly, and I was thinking she might end up

hating peanut butter in later years. (I took a lot of cherry-flavored

medicine when I was a kid, and now I can't stand any cherry-flavored

liquid. It tastes like medicine to me!)

I ended up reading about a special cup that helps kids (and some

adults---my adult sister can't take pills, either, and we've offered to

let her borrow our special cup!). If you go to http://www.oralflo.com,

you can read all about it. Now on the one hand, it seems like highway

robbery to pay a total of $8 for a glorified sippy cup (with postage and

handling, it ultimately cost us $8). only needed to use it for

about two weeks before she was ready to try taking pills without that

cup. So I spent $8 for about 2-3 weeks of use, but the results were

priceless in my book! Now can take pills, and that has increased

her options for various medications when medications needed to be

adjusted or changed.

I highly recommend the cup. Personally, I was about 15 or 16 before I

could take pills! learned when she was 6.

Like I said, that's just my 2-cents. If it benefits anyone here, I'll be

glad I shared.

I've got to start making supper!

Tammy (mom to , age 8 --- pauci-articular with uveitis)

January 25, 2006

Dear ette,

Well, let's try a different approach! When I first

heard of this cup, I did a Google search. Maybe you

could try going into Google and searching for

" oralflo " . See if the www.oralflo.com comes up. (And

a warning----I happened to notice that they raised the

price! It's $11.95 now!!! But knowing how it helped

, I think I would still pay the $11.95, even for a

glorified sippy cup!)

Hope you can find the information online!

Hugs back to you!

Tammy

--- Ginger Sunshine <pct777@...> wrote:

> Dear Tammy

>

> I thank you so much for this but when I went to

> the page all my computer said was unable to see

> page. I sure can use one for my . She too

> can't swallow pills this would be just the thing for

> her.

>

> hugs; paulette

>

> Tammy Zeigler <rstlz@...> wrote:

> As I was quickly skimming through the e-mails (I'm

> so sorry that my life

> is so hectic I don't have time to read each one

> right now!!), I saw some

> discussion about how difficult it is for kids to

> take pills and the

> insensitivity of some physicians. I totally agree

> that if a kid can't

> take a pill, a doctor should not insist on

> prescribing pills, or else

> help to come up with some solution to help the child

> get that medication

> down!

>

> My daughter is eight, and about two years ago,

> she started taking

> oral methotrexate. She was taking three pills at

> the time. We started

> out mixing those pills with half of a spoonful of

> peanut butter, which

> she would eat from the spoon. After a few weeks of

> that, I could tell it

> was going to get old REALLY quickly, and I was

> thinking she might end up

> hating peanut butter in later years. (I took a lot

> of cherry-flavored

> medicine when I was a kid, and now I can't stand any

> cherry-flavored

> liquid. It tastes like medicine to me!)

>

> I ended up reading about a special cup that helps

> kids (and some

> adults---my adult sister can't take pills, either,

> and we've offered to

> let her borrow our special cup!). If you go to

> http://www.oralflo.com,

> you can read all about it. Now on the one hand, it

> seems like highway

> robbery to pay a total of $8 for a glorified sippy

> cup (with postage and

> handling, it ultimately cost us $8). only

> needed to use it for

> about two weeks before she was ready to try taking

> pills without that

> cup. So I spent $8 for about 2-3 weeks of use, but

> the results were

> priceless in my book! Now can take pills, and

> that has increased

> her options for various medications when medications

> needed to be

> adjusted or changed.

>

> I highly recommend the cup. Personally, I was about

> 15 or 16 before I

> could take pills! learned when she was 6.

>

> Like I said, that's just my 2-cents. If it benefits

> anyone here, I'll be

> glad I shared.

>

> I've got to start making supper!

>

> Tammy (mom to , age 8 --- pauci-articular with

> uveitis)

>

January 25, 2006

You have to remove the comma from the address

Ginger Sunshine <pct777@...> wrote: Dear Tammy

I thank you so much for this but when I went to the page all my computer said

was unable to see page. I sure can use one for my . She too can't

swallow pills this would be just the thing for her.

hugs; paulette

Tammy Zeigler <rstlz@...> wrote:

As I was quickly skimming through the e-mails (I'm so sorry that my life

is so hectic I don't have time to read each one right now!!), I saw some

discussion about how difficult it is for kids to take pills and the

insensitivity of some physicians. I totally agree that if a kid can't

take a pill, a doctor should not insist on prescribing pills, or else

help to come up with some solution to help the child get that medication

down!

My daughter is eight, and about two years ago, she started taking

oral methotrexate. She was taking three pills at the time. We started

out mixing those pills with half of a spoonful of peanut butter, which

she would eat from the spoon. After a few weeks of that, I could tell it

was going to get old REALLY quickly, and I was thinking she might end up

hating peanut butter in later years. (I took a lot of cherry-flavored

medicine when I was a kid, and now I can't stand any cherry-flavored

liquid. It tastes like medicine to me!)

I ended up reading about a special cup that helps kids (and some

adults---my adult sister can't take pills, either, and we've offered to

let her borrow our special cup!). If you go to http://www.oralflo.com,

you can read all about it. Now on the one hand, it seems like highway

robbery to pay a total of $8 for a glorified sippy cup (with postage and

handling, it ultimately cost us $8). only needed to use it for

about two weeks before she was ready to try taking pills without that

cup. So I spent $8 for about 2-3 weeks of use, but the results were

priceless in my book! Now can take pills, and that has increased

her options for various medications when medications needed to be

adjusted or changed.

I highly recommend the cup. Personally, I was about 15 or 16 before I

could take pills! learned when she was 6.

Like I said, that's just my 2-cents. If it benefits anyone here, I'll be

glad I shared.

I've got to start making supper!

Tammy (mom to , age 8 --- pauci-articular with uveitis)

January 25, 2006

If you go to http://www.oralflo.com,you can read all about it.

Thank you for this link. I checked it out and its funny I already do this for

my son only I use an everyday straw. His Prednisolone is so small that it will

fit in a regular McD's straw and then he drinks it down without even noticing

that he's taking it. I will have to look into this cup and maybe get one for

him...

--

Lorilee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mom of 6

30, 24, 23, 18, Kayla 15

& 6~Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Married to Ken 8yrs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 25, 2006

Save your money! I have a wonderful tip for easing the act of swallowing

pills!!!! But first...

Let me begin by saying just how much I've enjoyed reading everyone's updates

and comments over the past few months. Life is passing by at such an

alarming rate that I only seem to find time to read the posting instead of

reply or create any of my own. I must apologize for this. It isn't that I

don't care. I just haven't perfected the art of efficiently being a mother

of two!

I will quickly update everyone on Sophie's status. We went to Indy a couple

of weeks ago. Her ped. rheumy said (and these are her exact words) that if

she hadn't ever treated her previously, she wouldn't believe Sophie has

JRA! We were absolutely overjoyed at that news! I know that a turn for the

worse is always a possibility but I'm enjoying this side of things while it

lasts!

We got Soph's eye quieted shortly before Xmas and lessened her drops to

twice daily in each eye. We just went back to the ophthalmologist a week

ago and found out that they have flared back up. So, we are now on drops 4

times daily in each eye and will follow up with her doc. on the 31st. I'll

try to keep everyone updated on her progress.

Now, back to the pill taking tip! Strange as this may sound, my

dermatologist has been published many times in the past. One of his

articles gives wonderful tips for easing the act of taking pills -

especially for children! In it, he advices parents to use one of two things

when asking a child to swallow a pill: a bottle such as for sodas and/or

water OR a straw. The process is basically the same for either. Place the

pill as far back on the child's tongue as he/she is comfortable with. Then,

either drink from the bottle - using your mouth or drink from any type of

container but use a straw. Something about the act of pursing the mouth

makes the pills go down with little or no effort.

I used this method myself when I was a child. I was 13 when I started going

to my dermatologists office and still had trouble with pills. They just

scared me. I thought they would get stuck and choke me. Anyway, I tried

the drinking from a bottle thing and it worked like a charm. I never even

felt the pill go down my throat.

I have used the straw method with Sophie. Shortly after her diagnosis,

there was a shortage of liquid mtx. Because of this, we moved from orally

giving the injectable to giving the pill form. She had never taken a pill

before and had only just turned 3. So, I was sure we would have to devise

some way to hide that fact that she was swallowing a pill. Then, I

remembered what had helped me. We didn't have any bottles handy but had

many, many straws to choose from in a rainbow of colors. So, I explained

what we were doing, plopped the pill on the back of her tongue, and had her

take a swig from the straw. It not only went down flawlessly but she

actually LIKED taking her medication this way!

Now, she is a pill taking champ. In fact, she hates the taste of most

liquid medications so much that we usually request to be given the pill form

if it exists. She is now 4 1/2 and has a record of taking 6 pills in a row

at one setting! She gets such a kick out of showing her g'parents how well

she swallows pills. It still amazes the pediatricians at how well she

does. They have even started suggesting the same methods to their other

patients.

So, save your money and try the bottle/straw thing first. If it doesn't

work, then fork out the money. Hope it helps!

Weber

Professional Mom to:

Sophie: 4 - pauci JRA / panuveitis

Charlie: 26 weeks - high maintenance but oh-so-lovable!

On 1/25/06, Tammy Zeigler <tlzeigler@...> wrote:

>

> Dear ette,

> Well, let's try a different approach! When I first

> heard of this cup, I did a Google search. Maybe you

> could try going into Google and searching for

> " oralflo " . See if the www.oralflo.com comes up. (And

> a warning----I happened to notice that they raised the

> price! It's $11.95 now!!! But knowing how it helped

> , I think I would still pay the $11.95, even for a

> glorified sippy cup!)

>

> Hope you can find the information online!

>

> Hugs back to you!

>

> Tammy

>

> --- Ginger Sunshine <pct777@...> wrote:

>

> > Dear Tammy

> >

> > I thank you so much for this but when I went to

> > the page all my computer said was unable to see

> > page. I sure can use one for my . She too

> > can't swallow pills this would be just the thing for

> > her.

> >

> > hugs; paulette

> >

> > Tammy Zeigler <rstlz@...> wrote:

> > As I was quickly skimming through the e-mails (I'm

> > so sorry that my life

> > is so hectic I don't have time to read each one

> > right now!!), I saw some

> > discussion about how difficult it is for kids to

> > take pills and the

> > insensitivity of some physicians. I totally agree

> > that if a kid can't

> > take a pill, a doctor should not insist on

> > prescribing pills, or else

> > help to come up with some solution to help the child

> > get that medication

> > down!

> >

> > My daughter is eight, and about two years ago,

> > she started taking

> > oral methotrexate. She was taking three pills at

> > the time. We started

> > out mixing those pills with half of a spoonful of

> > peanut butter, which

> > she would eat from the spoon. After a few weeks of

> > that, I could tell it

> > was going to get old REALLY quickly, and I was

> > thinking she might end up

> > hating peanut butter in later years. (I took a lot

> > of cherry-flavored

> > medicine when I was a kid, and now I can't stand any

> > cherry-flavored

> > liquid. It tastes like medicine to me!)

> >

> > I ended up reading about a special cup that helps

> > kids (and some

> > adults---my adult sister can't take pills, either,

> > and we've offered to

> > let her borrow our special cup!). If you go to

> > http://www.oralflo.com,

> > you can read all about it. Now on the one hand, it

> > seems like highway

> > robbery to pay a total of $8 for a glorified sippy

> > cup (with postage and

> > handling, it ultimately cost us $8). only

> > needed to use it for

> > about two weeks before she was ready to try taking

> > pills without that

> > cup. So I spent $8 for about 2-3 weeks of use, but

> > the results were

> > priceless in my book! Now can take pills, and

> > that has increased

> > her options for various medications when medications

> > needed to be

> > adjusted or changed.

> >

> > I highly recommend the cup. Personally, I was about

> > 15 or 16 before I

> > could take pills! learned when she was 6.

> >

> > Like I said, that's just my 2-cents. If it benefits

> > anyone here, I'll be

> > glad I shared.

> >

> > I've got to start making supper!

> >

> > Tammy (mom to , age 8 --- pauci-articular with

> > uveitis)

> >

January 25, 2006

Thank you I will try this with my daughter too. She too is afraid the pill

will chock her or something.

hugs; paulette

Weber <teamsophie@...> wrote: