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Original poster

AIBU to ask for help with 11 year old having to learn to take tablets?

81 replies

Newyearnewmewoooop · 10/04/2025 21:16

DD been prescribed sertraline for extreme anxiety. She just can’t get the hang of taking tablets and is having to chew them 🥴

We have practiced with tic tacs, but no joy. Tried putting in Nutella, hiding in grapes, no success

Does anyone have any advice 🙏

Im going to ask for it to be prescribed in liquid form next prescription, but that’s 3 weeks away

OP posts:
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Thursa · 19/04/2025 22:21

I’ll be trying some of these tips myself. Pathetically still can’t swallow pills at almost 62…

NewDogOwner · 19/04/2025 22:01

In a spoonful of icecream

pyewatchet · 19/04/2025 21:51

WompWompBoom · 10/04/2025 21:20

Take a big swig of fizzy pop/squash, and tip your head back so the pop is held in your mouth, open mouth, drop tablet in and immediately gulp. I'm rubbish at tablets and still take them this way in my 40s.

My AuADHD daughter hates taking tablets and uses this method.

PineappleChicken · 19/04/2025 21:38

Please check with a pharmacist before crushing tablets. Some tablets are coated for a reason and crushing them can cause issues.

Simonjt · 19/04/2025 21:32

I couldn’t take tablets as a child, then one day I had a really bad headache and really needed to take a tablet at school, I took a drink from an oasis bottle and chugged it too hard and nearly covered myself, but I discovered the force of the drink took the tablet down. I managed to keep doing it like that and eventually less and less drink required, but I do still take a heavy and fast gulp.

Sadsadworld · 19/04/2025 21:24

Try this

GNR2022 · 19/04/2025 21:16

My daughter was prescribed liquid Sertraline as she could not take the tablets at all!

Dontsayyouloveme · 19/04/2025 21:13

I love this.. 🥰🥰 my son is just back from his dad’s and just had a try with sports bottle but no luck… I’ll keep preserving!

Original poster
Newyearnewmewoooop · 19/04/2025 14:46

Well the advice worked! She’s had a week of using a sports bottle of water and taking it that way!

OP posts:
WompWompBoom · 12/04/2025 07:38

BertieBottsEveryFlavourBeans · 10/04/2025 23:01

I can't take tablets the "correct" way (putting them on your tongue and then taking a drink, the tablet always gets stuck on my tongue and then starts dissolving 🤢)

I take a big drink of water (or milk when I was pregnant and gagged at pills, milk was easier to do it with than water) then tip my head back, throw the pill in and swallow. I cannot take a pill any other way, I marvel at people can take pills normally 🤣

This is absolutely me.
I marvel at 12yo DD who since age 10 can happily take uncoated paracetamol without a drink. Just pops it in her mouth and off she goes.

SleepyRic · 11/04/2025 15:10

Lots of good advice for how to perceiver with the tablets.

But the reason why they don't prescribe it as a suspension is that the tablets cost the NHS in the region of £20 a month, the suspension is about £300. So unless there's a medical condition preventing swallowing tablets/dysphagia then tablets it is.

PixieTales · 11/04/2025 14:48

Drink a mouthful of water first, hold in mouth then put the pill in and swallow down together - I find you can’t really notice the pill this way because it’s already in the water.

TheGoogleMum · 11/04/2025 14:36

I struggled with tablets for years. My hack which works for me now is get a snack (preferbly something textured, chocolate not great because it melts), chew a mouthful, when I'm about to swallow chuck the tablet in

MamaAndTheSofa · 11/04/2025 13:52

parietal · 10/04/2025 21:27

Start with small pieces of soft bread. Let child roll the bread into a ball and practice swallowing. Repeat and try bigger bits of bread. The nhs has a good website guide on learning to take tablets with videos.

This is what helped me. I still can’t take tablets with just water - I often swallow them with Weetabix, though. I take a bit of Weetabix (with lots of milk), chew it a bit, then put the tablet in my mouth and use my tongue to get it inside the mouthful of Weetabix, and then swallow.

Having said that, go back to the pharmacy today and ask about getting the medication in another form (take the tablets with you in case they want to do a swap).

FreeButtonBee · 11/04/2025 13:47

My DS gets v travel sick. Really strong sherbet helped. We buy the sherbet with the lolly (old school 80s style dib dab!) Big drink of water to make mouth wet, big dip in the sherbet. Coat mouth in sherbet and then take tablet with more water. If you need to chew then taste is hidden. More sherbet after to take away the taste.

this was a good interim thing. After 6 months he can take them just with a drink.

Hellskitchen24 · 11/04/2025 13:34

I couldn’t take tablets until my late teens. I just had this weird mental block about them. I always thought I’d choke. It wasn’t until I was getting horrendous period pain that I forced myself and life did become a lot easier. Place on tongue towards back of throat, hold it there, one large swig of drink from an open cup. She only has to do it once successfully and the mental block is gone.

LoopyLouLaLa · 11/04/2025 13:33

Frowningprovidence · 10/04/2025 21:23

Start with different types of cake sprinkles as they are smaller than a tic tac to build up from.

Use cake sprinkles (just one) and swallow whole like a tablet. Then move to the small silver spheres you get for cakes. Then tic tacs. Then to the tablet

Puddlelane123 · 11/04/2025 13:32

Just seen you’ve tried with tictacs. I would keep trying, possibly with the addition of using a thick milkshake. The Mcdonalds ones worked well with my patients. Or start smaller with the little cake balls.

Puddlelane123 · 11/04/2025 13:30

Haven’t read the whole thread OP (and hugs because I am guessing the back story contains a whole load of stress for you as a mum), but when children on the wards struggled with this we would teach them to begin with those little silver cake balls, then tic tacs, then progress to a mini m&m or smartie. It isn’t a bad thing to get all kids of 10 plus learning this, and practising the technique of swallowing pills. Alderhey do a good info sheet on this. Best of luck.

www.alderhey.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Guide-for-Tablet-Capsule-Swallowing-PIAG-067.pdf

2025willbemytime · 11/04/2025 13:16

Surely tipping your head back just closes the space?

Hotpolarbear · 10/04/2025 23:16

Put it in a spoonful of yogurt but don't tell her which one. I do this with our children who are adiment they can't take tablets. Works everytime.

Hankunamatata · 10/04/2025 23:12

You can get sertraline as an oral solution

BertieBottsEveryFlavourBeans · 10/04/2025 23:01

I can't take tablets the "correct" way (putting them on your tongue and then taking a drink, the tablet always gets stuck on my tongue and then starts dissolving 🤢)

I take a big drink of water (or milk when I was pregnant and gagged at pills, milk was easier to do it with than water) then tip my head back, throw the pill in and swallow. I cannot take a pill any other way, I marvel at people can take pills normally 🤣

eternalopt · 10/04/2025 22:57

Big spoonful of yoghurt ...

Barleysugar86 · 10/04/2025 22:54

We practiced with our six year old taking those little silver balls you put on top of cupcakes. Start really small and work up.