Help getting child to swallow tablets (grim toe photo warning!)

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My 12 year old has been prescribed antibiotic capsules for a nasty toe infection and he just can’t make himself swallow them. We’ve tried various swallowing techniques, fizzy drink, spoon of yoghurt, persuasion, patience, etc. But no luck and 3 wasted tablets. It’s really important that he takes them!
Can anyone help?!

I was in my 30s before I learnt how to swallow tablets. As a child, the only medication I had prescribed was when I was very young so it was in liquid format. I tried swallowing paracetamol as a teenager but the tablets were just washed round and round my mouth by the water and didn't get anywhere near my throat, so I just took soluble ones instead when I needed painkillers. My parents seem to have been a bit crap as they did nothing to try to help me learn how to swallow tablets. I learnt as an adult by practising with tictacs after a friend suggested it. I just kept trying and trying with different placement /amounts of water /techniques until I could swallow them consistently.

I have no idea what the problem was, I guess I just had never been shown or taught what the correct technique for swallowing tablets was.

I think this thread demonstrates why it's really important to teach children how to swallow pills from a young age!

Chew a piece of banana very well then pop the capsule in his mouth at the last moment before swallowing. Banana becomes very slippery and he won't notice it go down with it!

I would get him booked in to see a Podiatrist - antibiotics will stop the infection spreading, but until the nail is sorted he will always have a problem that just gets slowly worse.

Blimey, there's some harsh comments here. I can't swallow large tablets either. I had antibiotics for a kidney infection and they were so large that they were vomited back up each time from hitting my gag reflex. I ended up phoning 111 to see if there was an alternative (it was the weekend so couldn't phone gp back) who made me sit in urgent care for 4hrs to get prescribed a smaller tablet that I was able to swallow! I would get back to the gp to see if there is an alternative.

There are some tips here...www.nhs.uk/conditions/problems-swallowing-pills/

Also, YouTube has lots of videos to help.

The banana idea above could work. Don't panic about food with it, a small amount will be fine, better than no antibiotics. If he absolutely cannot do it by tomorrow, get a new prescription for liquid. Then teach him when he's not got the pressure of an infected toe with tic tacs.

At least three packets of tic tacs for practice, turns into a fun game for all the family after a few mins. Who can swallow 2/3/4/5 altogether. Worked well for all of ours, and countless friends. Enjoy

I got mine to practise swallowing individual baked beans without chewing.

We can’t get him to do it :(
Another hour of trying, gallons of water, mouthfuls of food, and he just can’t make himself swallow it.
We’re going to try again in the morning then resort to asking for a liquid form.
And then work on teaching him when there’s less pressure!
Just hope the delay doesn’t lead to bigger problems….

I really struggled and there was many tears and shouting over it
A spoon of jam worked for me with the capsule on/in it. Now I take a gulp of water, tablet, more water
Definitely get some tic tacs to practice, once he's swallowed one he will probably be fine but the first one is the trickiest

Easy with a straw. Big suck in of juice or whatever and down it goes.

How is he with pain? Maybe get an appointment with podiatrist asap and once the nail
spur is removed it might heal up without antibiotics. He will need an injection for local anaesthetic so if he can cope with that they woll
be able to remove the cause. As long as
the nail is ingrown the infection I’ll keep coming back even with antibiotics

Glad I'm not the only one with a 16 year old who can't swallow tablets. And when they don't need them they don't have an incentive to practise. Just occasionally my DC has said they have a headache and I've suggested paracetamol. Always rejected after having failed when first tried. Currently just goes and sleeps it off. Fortunately only happened perhaps two or three times.
I like the TicTac idea though - will give that a try.

Visit a chiropodist and ask GP for liquid antibiotics

For information of various people: Calpol do suckable tablets/lozenges, which is simpler to take in school (especially for girls with period pains).

Chew a piece of banana and at the point of swallowing pop the tablet in your mouth. Have a glass of water on standby. It's important to lift the chin up as well to open the throat.

Practice with smarties, to avoid wasting the tablets - "can you swallow this smartie whole without chewing it?"

Don't crush the tablet. They are designed to dissolve at a certain rate so that the medicine is delivered appropriately.