Anyone managed to teach their child to swallow tablets?!

[Quokkafeet]

11 year old has been prescribed a 3 month course of antibiotics but they come in hard capsules and we cannot get her to swallow them. She is trying but continues to choke on either the tablet or the water. Any tips?! I just sort of assumed at her age she would be able to do it but it seems not!

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned but myself and my kids can only get tablets down if we hold our nose to swallow. Sort of helps with the instinct to clear everything so you can breathe again. Obviously not ideal if already panicking but it helps us.

Mini chocolates are the best for this. Dd was highly motivated to learn at preschool age because she hated liquid medication.

Then it became a matter of convincing doctors and pharmacists to give us pills.

My autistic 5 year old son is better at tablets than liquids as he hates the taste of medicine so much. I put the tablet in a spoon of ice cream and he swallows it

yes to practice with tic tacs
and yes to mouthful of water and head tilted forwards not back.

good luck!

I swallow tablets by pulling my tongue back, putting them in the dip under my tongue created by doing that, and then taking a medium sized sip of water and swallowing from there.

Top tip from a Nursing Home my Dad was in: put the capsule in some yogurt or custard and 'hide' it. Good spoonful and it's done. It works really well.

Also, if he/she can attempt it with a fizzy drink get them to lower their chin towards their chest rather than trying to tip their head back.

It took me years, well into my teens to learn. Even now certain ones i have to swallow dry cos it's the only way I can get them down, then take the water after.

This is fascinating. I had no idea people couldn’t swallow tablets. I throw back 9 at once 😂

I do water in the mouth first, chuck them in, then swallow.

Doxycycline can be used for acne - although not normally first choice. It comes as dispersible tablets too, I'd go back to GP and discuss if they will give something else.

For us putting the tablet on the tip of the tongue works.
Take a big gulp of a drink.
Keep the face forwards. Don't tip the head back.
Don't put the tablet at the back of the tongue as it gets stuck there and makes you gag.

Chew bread to the point of swallowing, take it out of your mouth, put the tablet in the bread, pop it back in your mouth and swallow. Need to put the tablet in quickly otherwise the bread gets cold and slimy and it's not nice to attempt to swallow it

My 8 year old managed with puddings a bit like chocolate mousse, there were lemon and strawberry as well. She did eat a lot of pudding for a week tho!

Small bit of water, pop tablet in, head back and swallow. Works (nearly) everytime for both boys.

I give pills the same way I give them to my cat with a pill popper. My cat is a right bastard with pills. Its a knack.
Ask the doctor for different pills. Most infections are sensitive to a range of antibiotics not just one.

Do NOT try to force the issue. I'm actually traumatized from my Dad trying to do this when I was about that age. Melt them in water.

Fizzy drinks worked here. Tablet far back on tongue then Fizzy drink from a can.

Did the tictac method with dd when she was about 9 because she hated the taste of the liquid versions of her epilepsy meds. She had it mastered in a couple of days and we were able to ring epilepsy nurse and ask for liquids switching to pill versions.

Use a bottle of water, rather than a glass. It washes the tablets straight down the throat.

Yup DGS could take tablets by 2 as he had allergies and it was easier to have tablets out and about than syrup. Used the tictacs in half and worked up

Swallow while looking down and drink with a straw.

The problem for me was water. I still swallow tablets dry and drink the water afterwards. If it’s a big tablet the second one can be a struggle so I just take them at 5 minute intervals when my brain has had chance to reset between swallows!

learning to swallow pills is good but for my child who was younger than yours - I crushed them up and put them in a drink.
Lassi can be good as they can be salty anyway but squash seemed to be most popular. It was disgusting and had something ready to take away the taste but it got them in and did the job

Raise your left arm in the air while swallowing it. It works for me and my kids.

Hi, I had to teach my kids when they were quite small. Grab a shot glass of water, put the tablet in their mouth , lean forward a little. Then drink the shot of water and throw their head back while they swallow. The tablet just gets whooshed along with the water . It works great but turns out I accidentally also taught them how to do shots.

I'm 45 and still cannot take any tablets with water, my Dad was the same and so is my son. We all had to tablets with a fizzy drink.