We had the same problem with my 9 year old daughter. We did Ice Cream, applesauce, pudding... you name it. Now, for as odd as it sounds she fills her mouth with something (her new favorite is the Boathouse Farms Fruit Smoothie drink cause its thick) tilts her head back and I dump the contents of the capsule in her mouth and she swallows and then drinks the rest of her cup of smoothie real quick. This has been working for us for about 8 months now. Rarely do we get a hiccup or something that she spits it out. LOL. I am jealous of those of you whose kids actually swallow the pill! I wish she would just do it that way but oh well, at least she is taking it somehow. I'm researching alternative methods to try and take her off of the Ritalin LA and I worry about whether some of the recommended supplements will be in pill form that I can't administer this way. One step at a time....
How well is the focalin working for him when he does take it? I only ask because when we found the proper dosage for my son he stoppped stashing the pills behind the kitchen cabinet.
It can be easier once they learn to swallow a pill because they can try the second time if they spit it out. Have you tried practicing daily with a tictac? That's how my friend's son learned- it took almost a month but he eventually got it. Remember to have him sit (or stand) up straight and tuck the chin slightly to the chest (tipping back causes the throat to constrict).
Another option would be to put the whole capsule in the spoonful of pudding without breaking it open and see if he can swallow it that way.
My DS actually had to drink 4 large glasses of water one morning when he first started taking meds. I felt like I was torturing him. Then we tried pop. The bubbles carried the pill to the back of his mouth and he was able to swallow. Sprite works great, it's really bubbly. After a few days, we went back to water/juice/milk and it's been great ever since.
Keep trying!! and good luck!
Megan P
I used mini m&m's. My kids hate mint. And I told them they could have the rest of the mini m&m's after they learned to swallow. Before my youngest did this he doesn't like apple sauce and could taste the granules still in the pudding so I opened the capsule put it in a small container (an cleaned and emptied pudding cup) with a little bit of water. I used a medicine dropper and sucked up all the granules (they float at first then sink) and shot it in his mouth and he took a sip of milk, juice or whatever. They do dissolve so you can't let it sit. He could still taste it but it was easier than bites of pudding. Over all at once. I am lucky my son likes they way the meds make him feel and understands that he needs them to feel that way. He even reminds me if I forget to do it fast enough for him.He won't even think about the tic-tac. The Focalin has been working great up until now. Tommorrow we go to the doc for a check up for meds, we have some issues to discuss. I worry about the patch because he has sensitive skin and band-aids bother him. Now I think he may be having minor tics at night so that might change everything. AARRGGHH!!! Too much! And now my Graves is coming out of remission. I wonder why?A little stress?Since my 9 year old will not take a pill(we have tried everything) I have to empty the capsule of FocalinXR and put it in ice cream or chocolate pudding. He still spits it out when he feels like it. We have talked with him, the docs have talked with him, even the teacher has talked with him. He has all the right answers and if given the chance 9 times out of 10 he would re-take the pill. This is not possible due to obvious perscribing regulations(you just can't have double) and I don't want him to learn this is ok to do. I just can't see how we are going to treat him if he just spits out his meds. He already thinks he doesn't need them anymore(after 3 weeks) despite what everyone has told him. We have punished him, we have rewarded him. Nothing works. I am just FRUSTRATED!!!! I don't think there is any magic answer, I am just going nuts! spamula39349.3433680556Daytrana doesn't have to be taken orally, it is a patch and cannot be "spit out".
When DD took some antibiotics a while back she hated the way the pill tasted, so would try to spit it out. I very calmly told her that this was not acceptable and that she WOULD swallow the pill. If she did not swallow the pill i would make sure she did. I did not tell her how I would make sure, but it worked.