Kids swallowing pills | ADHD Information

one of the beauties of the time release pellets is that you can open the capsule and sprinkle or mix them in the food. Years someone suggested the "Blue Bell" solution not remembering he was on an international forum. There was quite bit of time and correspondence involved in explaining that Blue Bell was a very good Texas based ice cream. The point is that you can mix the pellets into the food and let them have at it. The suggestions above are very good, but in the meantime........

 

Good luck. May not swallowing the med be the biggest problem you have.

Diz

Thank you all.

Yes I do miss the time release capsules...we started off on Adderall XR which was wonderful sprinkling it on food and she took it so easily. That that didnt work one bit, and we have tried the patch, so we are now onto ones that just have to be swallowed. *Sigh. ONE night we had it go down on the first try, the night after that was a bit more dodgy, eventually the capsule melted in her mouth and she could taste the medicine, it was not so good. Then last night it took about 4 tries, finally she got it down with some milk. So I guess if we just keep at it it will get easier, hopefully.

Why cant all ADHD meds be sprinkled onto food? It seems they would help the younger patients by doing that.

Tina
mine is 8 and will not swallow a pill, i had to get the methyln chewable or liquid for him.Buy something yummy and tiny like cake sprinkles. Put one on the very back of her tongue. Work your way up to tic tacs. Keep is sweet and appealing until you hit the pill size that you need. Buy something she loves that's hard and cut it up. It's  psychological hurdle.

NoTellin that's a great idea. I have the same problem with my 9yo and I must admit I'd envisaged myself coming to his house when he's an adult to squeeze his softgels into juice for him

I used mini m&m's.   Told him he could eat the rest after he learned to swallow them.  Took two.   Think about how you swallow and explain it every step to her.  The sprinkles and working up is a great way too.How long did it take yours to be able to? Ashley literally acts like we are choking her to death (I believe she screamed "please dont kill me" about 20 times, I wont be surprised if CPS comes to our door tonight). I am just at my wits end, we have tried the Adderall which we could open up and sprinkle, and Daytrana, the patch but we are at the end of things that she doesnt have to swallow out right. I am just beside myself, it took her almost an hour to swallow one tiny pill tonight and even then it was all soggy and disgusting by the time she got it down. I tried having her put her head forward, putting it in a huge spoonful of yogurt, everything I could think of. What else can I do?! Please someone help I cant do this every night.

Tina
Ok so I am so thankful for this board...all last night I was searching through old posts and found one where someone reccomended chewing something with more 'sustenence,' like a cookie or brownie. So Ashley and I made brownies, and tonight I had her take a big bite of one, chew, then tell me when she was ready to swallow. She told me when, opened her mouth and I stuck the pill down in the middle of the mess of brownie on the back of her tongue (all the while acting like it was soooo gross seeing her chewed up food to distract her). One swallow and it was gone! Her tongue was 'seeking out' the pill in the yogurt, as it was too smooth. So I pray this was not just a fluke and this is the way it goes. If I have to buy boxes of brownie mix to get this to work I will. Thank you everyone! I feel so relieved that tonight wasnt as big of a battle as last night, I am not sure I have the energy for it. I feel like the world's oldest 26 year old.

Tina
No I will not be by your door anyways I would not worry besides if things were ever that bad and you explained yourself and they see your child perfectly fine they will wish you a good day and leave trust me. We used regular M&M's. worked great, and dd was only 2. My 5 year old just started swallowing his pill.  He takes his with milk.  He says it made it easier for him to swallow.  I have to say that it sure beats sprinkling it on his food every day.