Pill Taking

I have an 8 year old that has learned to swallow the same kind of pill for ADHD she started taking hers with applesauce when she got tired of the applesauce every morning she deciced to be a big girl and tried to swallow it. After a few tries she learned. Good luck it is hard.

My son, who is 13, has recently started using the Daytrana Patch for his ADHD. We have loved it and it seems to work better than any pill. We didn't have a problem taking med's orally, we just weren't finding one that was working long term. Tell your friend about the patch. We have had a few issues with it not wanting to stick on all day but we just changed where he puts it depending on what activities he will be doing for the day.
Hope this helps.

S.

Well, I just thought I'd post this since you haven't gotten anything else.

Fist of all, is there another drug this kid can take? I know there are a few different drugs for ADD that I've heard of (Ritalin and Adderall to name two). Maybe not all of them are time release and there is a different med he can take.

However, back to the question: My sister used to be the same way. Wouldn't take anything she had to swallow whole. Well, one day, she absolutely needed to take some kind of medication (I forget what) and my parents tried all the "nice ways" (applesauce, cutting it in half, etc.) Nothing worked.

So my parents finally had her put the pill in her mouth with some water, held her down on the couch, and held her nose until she swallowed the pill. The entire situation was very unpleasant but my parents only had to do that once or twice before she learned to take the pill herself.

That's probably a little drastic for most people's taste, but if you feel like the kid absolutely needs to take this medication for his health and nothing else is working....
::shrugs:: Occassionally there isn't a nice way to do things.

Also, to respond to the poster below, my sister's issue wasn't one of control. She had an irrational fear that the pill was going to get stuck in her throat and make her choke. Giving her all the control in the world wasn't going to change that fear. She just had to learn it wasn't going to happen. Maybe this boy's issue is one of control, but maybe it is like my sister where he has an irrational fear.

Hi A.,

When I was little, I had a very sensitive gag reflex and had an awful time taking medication unless it was in liquid or chewable form. I tried and tried to swallow pills, but I would feel like I was choking and would start to gag and have to spit it out. My mom finally talked to her pharmacist, and he suggested that she have me chew up a saltine cracker until it was mushy enough that I could swallow it - then, right before I swallowed it, put the pill in the middle of the chewed-up saltine mush and swallow the whole thing. It worked like a charm! I took pills with saltines for about 6 months, then once I'd figured out how to do it, I started swallowing them by themselves. Now I can even swallow those big "horse-pill" vitamin tablets with no problem! I think the saltine method just worked by fooling my body/brain into thinking I was eating food - after all, I never had any trouble swallowing food. Anyway, maybe the ice cream and pudding aren't working for your friend because his son can still feel the solid pill in the middle of them. If gag reflex is a problem for his son, have him try putting the pill into something that's more like a solid food (after it's chewed up) and try swallowing it that way. Or, if it's more of a control thing (couldn't tell from your post), I second the advice of the person who suggested that your friend check in with his son to see if there's anything about how the medication makes him feel that he doesn't like. Maybe he's refusing to take it because he doesn't like the side effects but isn't sure how to express this to his dad.

My doctor told me that when my daughter was about 8 that she needed to start learning the reflex of pill taking because she couldn't be on liquid medications her whole life. The doctor told me to start by using mini M&Ms and have her swallow them and then gradually work your way up to regular size M&Ms. This has worked for my daughter, but my son who just now turned 9 has a very sensitive gag reflex and is having a tough time but we are working on it. Good luck!

.

I mostly agree that this is a control issue. Has Dad asked Son why is he afraid to take the pill? He may be afraid he's gonna choke or something. Get in his mind and imagine what he could be thinking. For my kids-11,8,6-I get them to tilt their head all the way back-so I can see the back of the throat, when they stick their tongue out, it makes a perfect "hole"-then I gently hold their head (if I have to) and drop the pill into the hole. Works every time. The key is to not let the pill touch the tongue. Good Luck!

When I was 9 yrs old I had to start taking a medication that only came in pill form and I had a very hard time. It was a constant fight for my mother until my Aunt had me practice taking a drink of something (I practice with good ol' Kool-Aid!)and holding it in my mouth with my head tilted back. Then I would hold it in my mouth with my head tilted back and practice holding my mouth open, but not swallowing the kool-aid. Eventually she dropped the pill in my mouth (pretending to look inside my mouth) while I still had the kool-aid in my mouth and when I swallowed, I swallowed the pill and didn't even know it! I didn't believe her at first, but started doing it that way everytime and to this day, that's the only way I can swallow pills....with liquid in my mouth and my head tilted back. Sometimes I give it just a second to make sure the pill drops through the liquid to the back of my throat before swallowing, and most of the time I can't detect the pill at all. Good Luck!

My nephew is five and has ADD. They had a problem with him taking pills and spoke with the doctor about it, and turns out, there's an ADD patch as well... Maybe you could suggest that to your friend and end an unnecessary and stressful battle.

Dear A.,
-No. I don't know how to make an eight year old take a pill.
-The catch is, this sounds more like a control issue, a game. It is Dad vs. Boy. Boy is winning because he's got the control.
-The practitioner who ordered the medicine needs to be aware that there is a problem with him taking it. Also, Dad needs to read more on ADHD so he has a more complete perspective.

-Dad may want to try rewarding him with stickers on a sticker chart every day that there is no conflict. After 10 stickers, or whatever, he gets an ice cream cone ... or something like that.

-When my son was 4, I was told by a psychologist who was IQ testing my son that my son comprehended enough to start reading within the next month or so. Three years later, when Michael was 7, he was the youngest identified AG student in the school, and he still wasn't reading.
-Thanksgiving of second grade, he started Ritalin. He was reading in January. By February, he was reading at a fourth-grade level.
-He knew that he was different from the other kids. He wanted so badly to be one of them. He wanted to be able to apply his intelligence and knowledge which were masked by his ADHD.

-We called them his "smart" pills. He took the medicine because he wanted to be more like the others and he wanted to be able to perform well in school.

-He stopped taking his meds between his junior/senior years in high school and almost flunked out his senior year. It's been almost 4 years since then and he's still looking for his niche in the world. He flunked out of NCSU's engineering school and recently started at the local community college.
-It hurts him to see his former classmates as college seniors while he continues to drift.
Good luck!!

take things away if he doesnt take his pills he doesnt get to do X....

I remember my mom used to put my pills in a small cup of sprite so I could just drink it down.

My parents used to crush up my pills in a spoon with some sugar. Then they gave me water to wash it down.

Many people think you should throw your head back when you swallow a pill, when actually you should lean your head forward slightly. Also, drinking water out of a coke bottle or something with a small opening helps. It helps because of the shape it puts your mouth in facilitates the swallowing. That's how I taught my kids to swallow pills.

I would also suggest that your friend look for some forums online, like in the yahoo groups, for an ADD support group that can give them some ideas on how to manage ADD children.

I have heard great reviews about the following:

www.feingold.org

It is a diet based program to alleviate ADD/ADHD. There are soooo many chemicals in our foods (even the natural chemicals in foods) that can change a sensitive body's response to the world.

Control does sound like the immediate issue as Anna C pointed out. Definitely offer this young person more control in his life. Starting with areas not related to is ADD might be best. Teach him to cook, let him make dinner. Let him choose a sport to participate in - whatever applies best to their lives.

Most situations can be manipulated so that the child has a variety of (controlled) choices. For example: (for younger kids) lay out 3 outfits for them to choose from. Or, let him choose if he wants to do his homework when he gets home from school or after dinner. That kind of thing.

The end result will be the same. but the child gets to determine it.

Remind Dad to breath deep, stay calm, and hang in there. Maybe find a support group?

P

Instead of forcing the child to take a pill that is toxic to his health, have your friend look up www.feingold.org. Feingold is a 30yr old non-profit organization whose purpose is to inform the public about petroleum-based (that's right - gasoline!) artificial ingredients that cause a multitude of problems including ADD, ADHD, OCD, and other emotional and physical problems. Pills are just a bandaid. An all-natural healthy diet will cure the problem. Best wishes.

L. B.