Teen struggling with pills

[Animallover2325]

What’s the best way to encourage an anxious teenager to take pills if needed? He’s d them for various reasons, pain, infection, now possible hay fever. When possible be had to get the liquid form but what if there was never that alternative in the future? He tenses up, overthinks it and boaks it out

We’ve had success with either a spoon of greek yoghurt with the pill in the yoghurt; very easy to swallow with no need to chew, or weirdly, marmite rice cakes; the strong taste masks the taste of chewing the pill apparently if he’d rather chew than trying to swallow it whole.

Or could you grind it into a powder and sprinkle it on something he likes?

Good luck!

Have you tried working up to swallowing pills?

start with a teeny tiny hundreds and thousands ball (for cake decorating)
then move up to one of those silver balls (for cake decorating)
then get them to swallow a tic tac with a sip of water form a glass
then progress to swallowing a tablet

Thank you I’ll give these a go. Apologies for the shabby predictive text

Try swallowing it with a spoonful of custard. My granny found it really difficult to swallow pills as she got older and custard did the trick, it's much easier with a thicker liquid. Plus custard is delicious. But anything thick would work I think- yogurt, chocolate pudding, angel delight etc.

Drink of water, chew up a biscuit, pop pill into mouth (into the the chewed up biscuit), swallow with another drink of water.

Agree with suggestions above

Over the last 3 years my DD's got so good she can swallow 3 in one go. (I'd rather she didn't.)

Following. I'm having exactly the same issue OP. GP is referring to CAMHS as it's part of a pattern of issues around sensory stuff and maybe anxiety.

I always take tablets by putting some water in my mouth, putting the pill in (without swallowing the water) and then drink more water, if the pill touches my tongue I instantly gag and have no idea why!

i have to fill my mouth with water, slip the tablet in and swallow. It’s how I’ve taught my very very reluctant 10 year old to do it and she is fine now.

coated tablets too. She used to vomit every single time we gave her anything but the method above and coated tablets is the winner.

Any advice on if teen refuses to take meds. Says it's a fear of vomiting. Absolute refusal at this point.

Ask pharmist if it can be crushed or opened and mixed with eg yoghurt?

@FavouriteAunt22 I'm having same issue with my 16yo DD. Awaiting a referral to CAMHS. I'm hoping they'll offer CBT or something to help her overcome her fear. There are lots of videos on YouTube on how to help kids to learn to take pills but they didn't work for us unfortunately.

Get him to practice with Smarties or Tic-Tacs.

Worked for DD.

Some tablets are designed to slow-release the medication after you have swallowed them, so you can't crush them.

I've heard CBD is great for this but unfortunately the sufferer has to commit for it to be successful. Good luck to you both.

Agee, that's why I said 'ask the pharmacist' .