swallowing pills

[Guest guest]

For those having difficulty getting your children to swallow pills I

found this ABA technique on another list which maybe useful:

1. Child must be able to drink with a straw. Buy straws.

> >

> > 2. Collect the various sizes of capsules that you open and empty

> > over several days so you have lots of empties.

> >

> > 3. Pour cup of absolute favorite drink and make sure child knows

> > that it is his/her favorite. Place drink with straw in position

so child must bend head down over it. At low table or on typical

> table with child standing on stool or chair works.

> >

> > 4. Start with tiniest empty cap. Place on tongue and immediately

> > bend the child over the drink and have him/her suck through straw.

> > Help child back to upright position to swallow.

> >

> > 5. Empty capsule will have floated to the back of the throat if

> this is done properly and the swallow reflex will wash it down.

> >

> > 6. Lots of praise, etc. Work up the skill slowly with added

> > frequency, size, full capsules, then multiples.

> >

> > 7. My recommendation is after the first success with a real

> capsule,the child is never allowed to spit a pill out again without

having it forced down. Mark only tested us once in this way. After 3

days of " training " with a straw, Mark was sick of one-at-a-time, and

> began to swallow caps by the handful.

> >

> > 8. This is second only to potty training in parental workload

> relief.

> >

Reagrds

New Zealand

[Guest guest]

Hi - thess instructions are good - before the kids

learned to swallow pills, I had always thought you

threw your head back to swallow. Needless to say I've

had a lifetime difficulty with swallowing them! lol.

Although I would wonder if teaching capsules first

would be harder? They're the hardest for me to

swallow....

Another important thing to point out to the kids in

preparation for teaching pill swallowing is discussing

how food goes into the tummy, drinks, medicines, etc.

Then, when you begin discussing the pills, talk about

washing them down to their tummy without having to

taste that yucky stuff.

And I second you on that reduction in workload! A

couple of years back, someone posted real detailed

instructions on teaching pill swallowing. I didn't

use it, because my kids' learning was extremely

spontaneous (big brother did it, then little brother

just copied because of the party), but it seemed like

it would be really helpful. Anyone interested could

probably search the group files for past posts on

teaching pill swallowing - at least one year ago but

likely closer to two.

--- saraht753 <sturnbull@...> wrote:

>> > > 8. This is second only to potty training in

> parental workload

> > relief.

> > >

>

>

> Reagrds

>

> New Zealand

>

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[Guest guest]

That's an interesting one. Our nurse told us to try to get them to practice something that they like. We used orange tic tacs with our 8 yr old aspie boy. My daughter, at 14, still can't swallow them. We'll try the straw way with her next time to see if it works. Thanks!!

From: lori jennings <lozzy3us@...>Subject: ( ) swallowing pills Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 7:31 AM

Just wanted to pass on this tip. Have the child put the pill in their mouth and let them take a drink through a straw. The pill will go down every time. I seen this in a magazine and it has worked well for us.

Lori

[Guest guest]

My son has been exclusively taking pills since he was 4 years old. He HATED liquid medication (consistency and taste were the biggest problems), he used to get sick a lot and of course, they always prescribed liquids at that age. Once he learned there was a pill he could take, he was sold. He's now 12 but he still takes pills the same way he did when he was 4. He takes a big sip of water, then pops the pill in his mouth and swallow. I used to try to get him to do it the conventional way (pill first, liquid second) but he would never try and then I thought "why do I care how he takes it as long as he takes it?"

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: lori jennings <lozzy3us@...> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 6:31:26 AMSubject: ( ) swallowing pills

Just wanted to pass on this tip. Have the child put the pill in their mouth and let them take a drink through a straw. The pill will go down every time. I seen this in a magazine and it has worked well for us.

Lori

[Guest guest]

Hi All, my 6 yr old aspie/adhd ds will swallow his strattera pill but he just will not take it with a drink for me. He can not tolerate it in his mouth at all, so what I do is slip it in his breakfast cereral every morning, he swallows it on the very first spoonful each time! I would agree with what the last person wrote on here, it doesn't matter how he takes it as long as he takes it! Just thought I would share that with you!

Estelle

From: MacAllister <smacalli@...>Subject: Re: ( ) swallowing pills Date: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 1:01 PM

My son has been exclusively taking pills since he was 4 years old. He HATED liquid medication (consistency and taste were the biggest problems), he used to get sick a lot and of course, they always prescribed liquids at that age. Once he learned there was a pill he could take, he was sold. He's now 12 but he still takes pills the same way he did when he was 4. He takes a big sip of water, then pops the pill in his mouth and swallow. I used to try to get him to do it the conventional way (pill first, liquid second) but he would never try and then I thought "why do I care how he takes it as long as he takes it?"

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: lori jennings <lozzy3us (DOT) com> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 6:31:26 AMSubject: ( ) swallowing pills

Just wanted to pass on this tip. Have the child put the pill in their mouth and let them take a drink through a straw. The pill will go down every time. I seen this in a magazine and it has worked well for us.

Lori

[Guest guest]

We've tried everything, (straws work for mom very well lol) but because of his sensory issues, he starts gagging when anything is in his mouth. No meds, no vitamins, we are so sad. And if it's crushed, and it tastes anything out of what he is expecting, that;s a no no too.

[Guest guest]

I think this is why Dylan sips water first and then puts the pill into his mouth and swallows b/c it's not so obviously going down his throat? He has sensory issues too.

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: BestMomBrooklyn! <bestmombrooklyn@...> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 10:17:03 AMSubject: Re: ( ) swallowing pills

We've tried everything, (straws work for mom very well lol) but because of his sensory issues, he starts gagging when anything is in his mouth. No meds, no vitamins, we are so sad. And if it's crushed, and it tastes anything out of what he is expecting, that;s a no no too.

[Guest guest]

I have the same problem with my son. We bought some of those omega

vitamins and he did not like to swallow them.

Now I put them on a spoon with applesauce and he doing much better.

Ide

[Guest guest]

>

> We've tried everything, (straws work for mom very well lol) but

because of his sensory issues, he starts gagging when anything is in

his mouth. No meds, no vitamins, we are so sad. And if it's crushed,

and it tastes anything out of what he is expecting, that;s a no no too.

My son with Asperger is 14 and we've never gotten him to take pills.

Have you tried gummies? They even make gummy vitamins for adults.

Our psychiatrist says she can even get the psychiatric meds in liquid

form, although we've managed to stay off them so far. My son will

take liquid meds or chewable meds if pushed. Another thing I do is

let him pick from a selection of chewables/liquid etc. It helps put

him in a more acceptable frame of mind if he's had a choice.

Ruth