Swallowing pills is a skill that most kids learn around 10 years of age, but some still aren’t able to even as teenagers. A fear of choking or simply worrying that pills are too big to swallow keeps many from trying. This presents challenges for treating common health conditions.
While some medications can easily be crushed and mixed into food and drinks, that’s not possible in all cases. For example, someADHD medicationsare extended-release formulas that need to beswallowedwhole to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
This article offers tips on helping your child or teenager learn to swallow pills, including what to do if they are unable to take their medication as prescribed.
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Practice “Pills”
A few (or more) trial runs can help kids and teens get used to the sensation of swallowing a pill without running the risk ofmissing a doseof medication if things do not go as intended.
This method usually works for those who are afraid of trying to swallow a big pill because they think they might choke on it.
This tip is best to trybeforethey actually get prescribed a medication in pill form.
Here’s what to do:
Whatever age your child starts trying to swallow pills, make sure they are not at risk for choking. Keep a close eye on them when they are taking a real or practice dose, and do not push them if they do not feel ready to try.
Trying Real Pills
Your child’s real medication dose must be taken completely and as directed. Here are a few special strategies that can help your child take their pills the way they need to.
To start, have your child:
If They Are Still Having Trouble
For many kids who are struggling to swallow pills, it can seem like the pill is just staying in place. In this case, they might be holding it against the roof of the mouth with their tongue as they try to swallow.
To fix this problem, the trick might be for them to learn how to relax their tongue a little as they swallow the pill—or at least get distracted enough so that the pill goes down.
Here are some other solutions that may help.
Crushing Tablets or Opening Capsules
However, always ask your prescribing provider or pharmacist before crushing a pill and putting it into food or drink. Some medications will not work or could be unsafe if you take them this way.
Pill Swallowing Aids
If your child needs to take a whole pill, there are some tools you might want to try:
How to Crush Pills Safely
Ask About Pill Alternatives
Your child’s medications may come in other forms. You may want to ask your healthcare provider about liquid medications, chewable and dissolvable tablets, granules, and disintegrating tablets.
Possible alternatives to pills for common medications for kids include:
Choosing a different form is often the simplest alternative to swallowing pills, but there will likely be times when your child has no choice but to take a medication in pill form, so it’s still beneficial for them to learn how.
Summary
Swallowing pills can be challenging for people of all ages, but kids tend to have a harder time getting the hang of it. There are some things you can do to help your child learn to swallow pills, as well as make pill-taking safer for them.
If your child is not able to swallow pills even with these strategies, ask their provider if there are any alternative ways for them to take their medication.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service (UK).Problems swallowing pills.KidsHealth.Teaching your child how to swallow pills.Harvard Health Publishing.Two tricks to make it easier to swallow pills.Forough AS, Lau ET, Steadman KJ, et al.A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down? A review of strategies for making pills easier to swallow.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2018;12:1337–1346. doi:10.2147/PPA.S164406Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Opening and mixing oseltamivir capsules with liquids if child cannot swallow capsules.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service (UK).Problems swallowing pills.KidsHealth.Teaching your child how to swallow pills.Harvard Health Publishing.Two tricks to make it easier to swallow pills.Forough AS, Lau ET, Steadman KJ, et al.A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down? A review of strategies for making pills easier to swallow.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2018;12:1337–1346. doi:10.2147/PPA.S164406Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Opening and mixing oseltamivir capsules with liquids if child cannot swallow capsules.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Health Service (UK).Problems swallowing pills.KidsHealth.Teaching your child how to swallow pills.Harvard Health Publishing.Two tricks to make it easier to swallow pills.Forough AS, Lau ET, Steadman KJ, et al.A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down? A review of strategies for making pills easier to swallow.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2018;12:1337–1346. doi:10.2147/PPA.S164406Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Opening and mixing oseltamivir capsules with liquids if child cannot swallow capsules.
National Health Service (UK).Problems swallowing pills.
KidsHealth.Teaching your child how to swallow pills.
Harvard Health Publishing.Two tricks to make it easier to swallow pills.
Forough AS, Lau ET, Steadman KJ, et al.A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down? A review of strategies for making pills easier to swallow.Patient Prefer Adherence. 2018;12:1337–1346. doi:10.2147/PPA.S164406
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Opening and mixing oseltamivir capsules with liquids if child cannot swallow capsules.
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