Swallowing tablets is a kind of expertise that come naturally for some youngsters, and for others it takes observe. In actual fact, about 26% of children have a tough time swallowing them. Some are fearful it’s going to get caught of their throats and others have by no means tried it earlier than and due to this fact want a little bit of steerage.
Taking tablets as an alternative of liquid treatment has its advantages: They’re simpler to take with you, they go away little to no style of their mouths, and generally it offers medical doctors extra prescribing choices.
In case your youngsters are having a tough time swallowing tablets, they’re not alone! The excellent news is that there are tried-and-true behavioral methods that may assist them study. As a pediatric psychologist, listed below are a number of the ideas we use to show our sufferers:
TIPS FOR TEACHING KIDS HOW TO SWALLOW PILLS
1. Collect your provides
You’ll want small paper cups to guarantee that they’re not swallowing an excessive amount of liquid, sweet of accelerating sizes, and empty capsule gel capsules. Test along with your pharmacist to see if they’ve any in inventory.
2. Apply after they’re wholesome
One of the best time to observe capsule swallowing is after they’re not underneath any strain to take drugs.
3. Hold the periods brief and enjoyable
Apply each day utilizing the next steps till they’re comfy swallowing tablets. I like to recommend limiting every session to about 5-10 minutes in order that they don’t really feel overwhelmed. And attempt to make it enjoyable! Use completely different candies of accelerating sizes, corresponding to cupcake sprinkles, Nerds®, Tic Tacs®, mini M&M’s®, common M&M’s®, Good & Loads®.
4. Use imagery and positivity
Have your youngsters image their throat prefer it’s a water slide, and the capsule is the inside tube gliding down the hill. Additionally it is useful to supply constructive reinforcement alongside the way in which. Older youngsters will profit from having them say issues like “I can do that,” “I can be okay,” and “My physique can deal with this.”
5. Give them a number of choices
Giving them choices will make them really feel like they’ve a way of management. “Would you want to sit down or stand?” “What would you prefer it blended with?” “White cup or pink cup?”
6. Begin with water
Have your youngsters begin with a sip of water (with no piece of sweet) to observe. Guarantee that they’re not swishing the water of their mouths.
7. Then dissolve it
Beginning with the smallest sweet, have them place it towards the again of their tongues and let it dissolve again there.
8. Improve sizes regularly
As soon as they’ve mastered dissolving the smallest measurement behind their tongues, it’s time to try to swallow it. Have them place the smallest sweet on the again of the tongues (whereas protecting it flat) after which take a sip of water to swallow the sweet. Repeat this 2-3 occasions in order that they really feel profitable transferring on to greater sizes. It could take a number of drinks and tries to get the sweet to go down, so hold the encouragement going. They might discover it useful to attempt completely different head positions. Turning the top to the facet relaxes the throat which may make it simpler for tablets to slip down.
9. Repeat
Proceed growing the scale of the sweet till your youngsters can swallow the scale of sweet that is the same as the scale of their tablets. In the event that they attain a measurement they can’t swallow, return to the final measurement they efficiently swallowed in order that they’ll finish the session with success. Then return to the method the subsequent day. As soon as they’re comfy swallowing sweet, they’re able to attempt empty capsules or precise tablets.
10. Make it simpler
Even when youngsters are able to swallowing the biggest measurement sweet, they could nonetheless want some additional assist and techniques. Listed below are just a few to assist make swallowing simpler:
- Put the capsule in a spoonful of Jell-O or pudding, which can assist it slide down your baby’s throat. Have them observe swallowing simply the Jell-O earlier than making an attempt it with the tablets. Don’t disguise the capsule within the Jell-O as a result of this may break belief between you and your baby.
- Attempt coating the capsule with magic shell.
- Dip the gel hole in ice water earlier than swallowing to make it very slippery, or use capsule glide swallowing spray.
- Use a particular capsule swallowing cup, corresponding to Oralflo.
- Crush the tablets in flavored syrup, if these methods aren’t working. Test along with your pharmacist first to verify the capsule could be crushed.
