TIPS ON HOW TO GET A 3 YEAR OLD TO SWALLOW HIS MELATONIN

[AngP2585]

Does anyone have any tips on how to get a 3 year old to swallow a whole tablet. This one can't be crushed or chewed, finding it really hard. I have tried putting it inside a rasin, milkway, juice, yoghurt. He chews the rasin then spits it out as he realises there is something not quite right. He always seems to find it.

Any tips would be really appreciated!

I would think its a bit unreasonable to expect a three year old to swallow a tablet. Can they provide an alternate form eg powder or syrup. Failing that you can buy proper pill crushers. When my son had to take some for a scan they crushed it and mixed with syrup/jam and he had it via a syringe as he refuses medicine from a spoon. Personally I would worry about having to hide something that could be a choking hazard if it surprised him. How are you? I think its was you with the thread about biting. My son had an ok few days and then spent two days just attacking me for no reason. Head butting seems to be his new thing...oh joy

I think it's a bit unreasonable too but it's apparently the only slow release one they can give me.
What age is your son?
It's hard work when they start biting etc it really gets you down at times!

Can you reward, with stickers or small sweets or something? Maybe one piece of a lego model that he can build every day??

DS2 was about 3 when he started on melatonin. We referred to them as magic buttons.

Does he like milk at all? We got ds2 to take them by using nesquik magic straws. They are sealed at the top but not quite near the top so you can put the tablet there, put it in their mouth and get them to have a big drink of milk. Hope that makes sense?

He is 8 now and can take the tablets without the straws.

Good idea to phone children's ward. Nurses should be able to tell you if it will actually cause a problem to crush the tablet too.

I think the thing with the slow release is that crushing it, just makes the medicine act like normal melatonin.

I have some stuff called 'pill glide' which my pharmacist gave me, it is a spray (fruit flavoured) which you spray in the mouth and it makes the tablet really easy to swallow. I would be happy to stick it in the post for you to try, if you want to pm me your address.

Ah I see that makes sense hazey.

My son who has moderate developmental delay started slow release melatonin at 3yrs and I struggled at first to get him to swallow the pill whole. He is brilliant now but don't know if I am just lucky. We call them his special buttons and he is quite pleased with himself that he is the only one who gets them ( not big brother). I put the pill on his tongue and have one of those yoghurts in a tube ready and open then squeeze a big mouthful of the yoghurt into his mouth and he takes a big swallow and the pill goes with it. Can understand that this wouldn't suit all kids but he seems to quite like this bedtime ritual, and thinks its quite funny.

Tell the gp who can and should prescribe kidnaps liquid melatonin. Fucking absurd to prescribe tablets for a toddler.

I don't think in fact i am pretty sure because i asked 2paeds that you can get slow release melatonin in a liquid form, but do check with your gp. My ds is on slow release because of his frequent wakings in the night related to his hypermobility and dev delay. If your child is just struggling to get to sleep at the beginning of the night rather than throughout it then the liquid could be an option.

Unfortunately it's more through the night he wakes. He does not have too much trouble getting off to sleep. I have contacted the pharmacy and children's ward without any tips. They have said the tablet is the only melatonin which is available as slow release because of the sugar coating you can't crush or chew it either. Total nighmare. He is not suspicious of everything I give him. He is looking for the tablet. He does not drink milk unfortunately I have tried putting the whole tablet in a cup with his juice but it sticks to the bottom of the cup. It seems to be if I can't get him to take it then it's hard lines!!!!

We have a slow release melatonin as a capsule that DS1's paed prescribed for him. Directions were to open capsule, sprinkle it over little bit of mashed banana (or other similar food), stir it in and give it to him in spoonful. That being said, we've discontinued using it as it's not been working as well recently, so there was just no point going through the motions. I don't know if the lack of effect is due to the meds or the summer schedule tbh.

Ds takes his on a spoonful of honey, so kind of like a medicine/tablet

Not sure what type your 3 year old is on but I spoke to my daughter who is 7's paed and she said I could crush my daughter's and it goes into a yoghurt so it may be worth asking them again. My dd's also said not crushing or breaking.

Not sure what type your 3 year old is on but I spoke to my daughter who is 7's paed and she said I could crush my daughter's and it goes into a yoghurt so it may be worth asking them again. My dd's also said not crushing or breaking.

Just looked at my previous post and I meant you cannot get melatonin in liquid form doh! Have you tried not hiding it and making a big deal about how good he is for taking his pill like a big boy? Hope I don't sound patronising but I was really surprised how well my ds has adapted to taking it even though his level of understanding is that of a two yr old, he has even taken it tonight with just a drink of milk and not his tube yoghurt!

There is a difference between the slow release (only available in tablet form, not crushable - as the tablet is made up of tiny balls which slowly release the melatonin, which won't work if the tablet is crushed) and the normal melatonin (available in both liquid and tablet, normally tablet is prescribed, as these are much cheaper than liquid. These tablets are crushable, as they work instantly, but wear off).

Ang, would it be possible to use the liquid, but use it in the middle of the night as well?

Ds is on half the dose he could be on, and his paed said that it would be possible to either give him double the dose, or split it, if we were struggling with him waking in the night, and not resettling.

Along with taking the liquid melatonin, DS1 takes a slow release melatonin that comes in a capsule. We open the capsule, sprinkle it on mashed banana, and he takes it that way. It says slow release on it, and it's definitely not a tablet, it's capsule that we open. I am debating, however, asking about going to a second dose of liquid during the night instead.

Thanks haszeyjane I think I will enquire about that becuase it's becoming very difficult.

Trigglesx the capsule sounds like a good idea what age is your son?

OP. we had the same issue when my DS was 4. How to make an autistic child swallow a tablet when I can't even get him to take calpol?! In the end we looked at alternative therapies as though I'm sure the slow release melatonin would have helped it was a battle to say the least. Thankfully the alternative therapy worked and he sleeps mostly through the night.

Have you tried explaining to him what it is & what it will help do ?

I know this sounds mad but my Ds 4.8 started on the Melatonin last month & at first I tried hiding it etc but he wasn't having any if it so I just sat him down n said look it will help you sleep and stop all those questions that you have going round your head so you can sleep .
Amazingly it worked & now he will happily swallow his tablet without the aid of juice or anything to help it go down even I can't manage that
I also make sure when he has had it to point out what a big boy he is at been able to take 'grown up' medicine