NEED help PLEASE | ADHD Information

We were suppose to start his med's today. My son is six and has never had to swallow a pill before. It is adderal xr.  Well after 20 minutes and two cups of cool aid spit in my face, the deflated capsul is empty but i have no idea how much of the meds he took nor if it will work now like it's suppose to. I need MAJOR advice on how best to give this capsul to a 6 year old. How can we put a man on the moon and yet not come up w/ drugs that young children can swallow???    It was a horrible morning of yelling and frustration and now i feel like a horrible parent all over again.  thanks in advance. janie123439709.2715625When my son was on adderal xr the dr had us open the capsule and sprinkle the in applesauce or pudding.  I would then put the empty capsule back together and let him practice swalling it.  After a couple of weeks he was able to start swallowing it. You can also practice with mini m&m's. jaqcl39709.2774884259so if you sprinkel the capsul into food does it mess w/ the time release?

< =text/>_popupControl(); From what I understand, the capsule dissolves in the stomach and the actual medicine "beads"  are what are time-released as they pass through the digestive tract.

Opening the capsule and sprinkling on food was also recommended to us by our doc.

thanks soo much i swear i left teh house in tears this morning, its hard enough to have to know u have to give your childrent drugs but then to fight w/ them to take it another emotional battle.  I think I'm going to get him some yougart today since it's his FAVORITE and open the capsul and do that. It will be alot less tramatic for him in the long run. As long as he swallows the beads and does not chew them everything will work the same.   I had to completely cover them up so that my son could not see them.  Let us know how the yogurt works.

Practice swallowing pills with mini M&M's.  Once he can actually swallow a pill then you could try to have him swallow his meds.

But then again, if it ain't broke don't fix it - unless it's a real problem doing it the way you have been doing it, I can't see any reason to change your procedure.

My son Branden has been taking Adderall XL for 18 months now, and always opens the capsule and sprinkles it on yogurt. We have never tried having him swallow the pill.  In fact, he takes some control of the meds these days by sprinkling the pill himself.  I spoon out 2-3 spoonfulls of yogurt so that I am sure that he finishes it all. Then he can have the rest of the yogurt if he wants.  Usually a container of yogurt lasts us 3 days. I would try getting him to swallow it.  How old is he?  So what is the issue with him?  Have you seen a change since the 18 months?

Try getting him to practice swalling M&M's. He won't mind it I'm sure ;)!!

[QUOTE=rhondacty]I would try getting him to swallow it.  How old is he?  So what is the issue with him?  Have you seen a change since the 18 months?[/QUOTE]

 

A change in what way?  In his behavior, yes, there is a definate difference in how he behaves and how focused he is when he is on his meds compared to off meds. A change in how the meds work for him, no, not really. For now, they are still working ok, although we have some concern about the rebound effect when he comes off it at night.  However, even that hasn't been a huge issue for him lately.  His Dr. Hasn't pushed us to get him to swallow the pill, so I haven't even tried.  As long as it works, I don't see any reason to fight that battle. I ahve enough battles to fight-especially in the morning.

[QUOTE=staciabeth]

His Dr. Hasn't pushed us to get him to swallow the pill, so I haven't even tried.  As long as it works, I don't see any reason to fight that battle. I ahve enough battles to fight-especially in the morning.

[/QUOTE]

 

AMEN sister!!! lol! I also have found mornings and late evenings to be more of a challenge. He does seem to be more "testing" at those times. I am satisfied w/ the progress we have made thus far, I am sure changes will need to be made along the way but I can tell it is working so I definitely feel we are stepping in the right direction.

Thank y ou for all your wonderful responses. We are two weeks in still using a little yougart in the morning and it has been working great! my son has had a series of health conditions including adhd. a couple years ago my ped told me to practice with me swallowing the big tic tacs. after a couple days he was swallowing pills like a pro. I had such a hard time with fighting him with his meds that many of times I went in the bathroom, closed the door and cried. my ped came to my rescue by letting me know a few tricks. While we were practicing with the tic tacs my ped told me if you open the capsule and empty it in a cup of milk (just enough for them to drink at once) and have him drink it quickly it would not effect the med or the time release. Hope this was helpful

My son was able to swallow adderall xr  great for the first 2 weeks and then he just started gagging on it! Now , after many wasted pills I put it in applesauce and he sprinkes cinnamin on top!  I have also heard of people using yogurt, pudding and ice cream (I figure if it works a little ice cream in the AM isn't going to kill him!)