How to get child to swallow pills? | ADHD Information

My son is on Focalin so we are able to put it on applesauce. That seems to work just fine! very informative, jacob took his first pill this morning and it ended up back inside his drink, in the floor---it was a mess....didn't think i'd ever get it down his throat. We get our son to take his meds (concerta) by giving him a spoonful of icing and putting the pill in the middle. We keep a drink close by for an extra swallow to make sure it goes down. He loves sweets (I know, not the healthiest thing in the world) so he's more into taking the pill this way. Applesauce also works for him.

We use applesauce....or pudding if I'm out. We started with a big spoon and moved to a normal sized spoon. Jamie does ok-he's 5...and other than a few issues in the begining it has worked pretty well.  I may have to find one of those cups though...would be a good thing for him to start taking it with water.

 

Oh, we also have a drink nearby to wash the medicine down

good luck

Vicky

He was on Vyvanse but is now taking Concerta.  It has been a HUG battle to get him to take his pill.  I will definitely give all the suggestions a try.

2lyns39678.4293287037Yup, pudding is the best for us too. The good kind from the refridgerted section, not the "handi snack" kind. and you only need a scoop a day so it'll last long if you keep it out of sight.CVS, Rite Aide, etc. sell something called The Pill Taker's Cup.  It's made by Ezy Dose.  There's a spot where you put the pill, and the rest is a normal cup.  You drink out of the cup normally, and supposedly the pill will slide down your throat due to the way the cup positions it.  I don't know if the cup really works or if it was psychological, but this cup taught my child how to swallow pills!  It's worked for several other people, too.  It might be worth a shot!  They're less than , so it's not a big investment.   BTW, which med is your child taking, Concerta or something else?Mom2ADHDboy39675.6795717593My 7 year old was recently diagnosed with ADHD.  The doctor has switched his medication to a pill which has to be swallowed whole.  Any suggestions on what worked to get your child to swallow the pill?practice. Start with swallowing jimmies (the candy you put on ice cream), then mini m & m's and tic tacs. Puting the candy/pill in something thick like applesauce, yogurt, pudding works best. I actually gave my daughter scoops of ice cream when she first started having to swallow a pill.

Using m&m minis worked well for my son who was 6 when we started taking pills.  Then we tried 2 and 3 m&m minis at a time.  Also try to get them to tilt their head forward a bit when swallowing the pill with liquid.  The pill will float to the top (towards the back of the throat) and be easier to swallow.   We also used the ice cream trick - just get a little bit around the pill and let them swallow that.  It shouldn't be a big bite.  Hopefully one of these methods will work for you!