Tips and Tricks for Swallowing Pills and Liquid Medications

Children are often very fidgety while taking medications, especially if they are in the form of pills. Swallowing is quite a natural reflux in humans. But in babies and small children, the small size of the food pipe and the close proximity of the nasal cavity and trachea to the food pipe sometimes make it rather challenging to have kids swallow a large piece of food or a pill. Most children need practice in this area, and parents need to be very patient with their kids. There is no minimum age as to when a child must learn to swallow. Some children with developmental delays and other health issues may require longer time periods to initiate and develop the act of swallowing. If you are unable to teach your kid how to swallow pills, you can take medical advice from a Children’s Specialist by visiting a Pediatric Clinic near you.

The pediatric doctor may prescribe your kid either liquid medications or pills. Children have a tendency to vomit out medicine, whether in liquid or pill form. Often, it is not possible to administer liquid medications. The pills need to be swallowed intact without cutting them into pieces or making them amorphous for ease of swallowing. This act may alter the effect of the medication or even be extremely dangerous.

So, practice is the key here:

  1. Make your kids really comfortable before administering the medicine. Assure them that this is absolutely safe. If possible, show them how to do it by swallowing a dummy pill or a liquid.
  2. Make the child sit straight and slightly tilt their head back.
  3. You may give them sips of water a few times in order to get used to the process.
  4. Put the pill on their tongue and give them water again.
  5. If they still do not cooperate with you, you can try mixing the pill in their favourite food or fruit juice.

But if even that doesn’t seem to work, you must visit a Pediatric Clinic and take expert advice from a good Children’s Specialist doctor in Gurgaon. There is always a way to make your kids learn swallowing.

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