Learning how to swallow a pill

 Learning to swallow pills is all about practice. Here are some tips to help your child learn.

• At first, practice with small candies that are easy to swallow. Start with sprinkles or small candies and progress to larger, pill size ones.
• Set a good example. Show your child that you can swallow a pill successfully.
• Keep practice sessions under 5 minutes. This can help prevent your child from feeling too stressed. Keep practice sessions relaxed, positive and fun.
• Practice when your child is healthy. Try to not start the learning process when there is pressure to treat an illness.
• Use plenty of water or another favorite drink. Allow for big gulps.
• Use a straw to drink with the candy or pill already in the mouth. This can help your child focus on the suction of the straw instead of the candy in their mouth.

Practice as follows:

1. Sit up straight with their head centered and straight.
2. Tilt their head back just a little.  Leaning too far back can make it harder to swallow.
3. Take a few practice sips of water.
4. Put the pill on their tongue. Avoid putting the pill too far back as this can trigger your child’s gag reflex.
5. Take another big sip. You can try using a plastic water bottle to squeeze a large gulp of water to swallow. Some kids do better using a straw.
    

Which size candies can I start with?
Start small and gradually increase as tolerated.

1. Cake decorating sprinkles
2. Mini chocolate chips
3.  Gummy worms cut into tiny pieces.
4. Mini M&M’s®

Praise your child if they swallow the pill successfully. If not, try again. If your child refuses, stop and take a break. You can try again later.
When should we start to work on this?
The age at which kids can best learn to swallow a pill varies. Try to avoid comparing your child with other kids, even siblings. In general, kids should be at least 4 years old and at a stage when they seem cooperative and motivated to learn new skills.