I want to teach my 5 year old to swallow capsules.  I am fairly

confident she will be resistent at first and put up a good fight.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone who's been successful at this

would share their technique.  Thanks.

Kathy

--- In Autism-Mercury@y..., "annaeyoung" <young5@a...> wrote:

> I want to teach my 5 year old to swallow capsules.  I am fairly

> confident she will be resistent at first and put up a good fight.

> I'd really appreciate it if anyone who's been successful at this

> would share their technique.  Thanks.

> Kathy



Kathy,



My three year old has been swallowing pills for about 6 months now.

I started when she was 2-1/2.  Some hints to help you.



1.  Have a positive attitute.  Expect that she will do it.  Don't act

like it's a big deal.  I don't know if your daughter is oppositional

or not, but if she is and senses this is important to you, she might

just clamp her mouth shut.



2.  Put something in it for her.  For example give her a sticker or

read her a story if she swallows the pill.  She has to want to do

it.  Remember--she's in control unless you want to literally shove

the pill down her throat (which I don't recommend if you want her to

ever take pills willingly.)



3.  Start small and tasteless.  A tiny capsule is easier to swallow

than a round uncoated pill.  Glycine actually tastes good.  Vitamin E

might not taste too bad.  That way, if she happens to chew it at

first and it breaks open she wont have a bad memory about it.



4.  At first you might want to put the pill in a spoonful of

applesauce.  (I use the lower phenol baby food pear sauce).  Her

instinct will be to swallow the sauce and the pill might just go

right along with it...  It's really important to have a pill that

tastes good here since the sauce will start to dissolve the pill.



5.  There are some step by step instructions on the enzymes and

autism site if I remember correctly.  This is what I used when

teaching my kids.



6.  Be patient.  It's a little like potty training.  Now if I could

just get my daughter completely potty trained....





Hope this helps.



Sincerely,



Annissa

Get a special cup with a little ledge at the top. They're available in

most large pharmacies. Either in children's area or elderly section



DolphiO



-----Original Message-----

From: annissa87 [mailto:annissa@...]

Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 9:39 AM

To: Autism-Mercury@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [Autism-Mercury] Re: teaching pill swallowing



--- In Autism-Mercury@y..., "annaeyoung" <young5@a...> wrote:

> I want to teach my 5 year old to swallow capsules.  I am fairly

> confident she will be resistent at first and put up a good fight.

> I'd really appreciate it if anyone who's been successful at this

> would share their technique.  Thanks.

My wife and I would sit down with him at each meal and take our vitamins-

make a big deal about putting one in our mouth and show each other the

pill, then take a sip of water, then say 'All gone!' and show our empty

mouths.  He wouldn't swallow it at first, but after a month or so he

grabbed a pill I was getting out to sprinkle on his food, stuck it in his

mouth, drank some water and said 'all gone!'.



Good luck,

Ken













"annaeyoung" <young5@...>

09/10/2002 05:14 AM

Please respond to Autism-Mercury





         To:     Autism-Mercury@yahoogroups.com

         cc:

         Subject:        [Autism-Mercury] teaching pill swallowing





I want to teach my 5 year old to swallow capsules.  I am fairly

confident she will be resistent at first and put up a good fight.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone who's been successful at this

would share their technique.  Thanks.

Kathy





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medical advice, you should seek it from those who are

authorized to give medical advice: doctors.



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

You can buy empty gelcaps at a hfs... buy the tiniest size.  We used

a straw and did a blow-gun and blew the pill to the back of the

tongue and of course, he would gag but we immediately handed him the

glass of water and said swallow!  He would, and he would laugh.  Dh

and I maintained the attitude of "you need to do this", and so his

whining and fussing were no way out of the lessons.  Then we taught

him to put it in his mouth himself and swallow... now, he is a real

pro--he can even swallow the huge ProEFA all by himself, and he even

swallows two small capsules at the same time... It PAYS to train them

to swallow a capsule.  It makes things so much easier.



I have read that some parents suggest putting the capsule UNDER the

tongue and then giving them water to drink immediately.  For some

reason it rolls around and goes down the throat.



Good luck and let us know if anything worked for you, or if you

devised your own method, please share!



MaryW





--- In Autism-Mercury@y..., "annaeyoung" <young5@a...> wrote:

> I want to teach my 5 year old to swallow capsules.

#4 is exactly what we did...a spoonful of baby pear sauce with on pill hidden

inside...had him swallow the whole thing 'whole.'  Then I started hiding two

pills and told him later what he'd accomplished.  Then one pill in the mouth

with water which he kicks back (leans his head back to knock the pill to the

back of his throat) and then swallows.  We're up to two gel caps with water now.

He's very proud!



Tonya Dillingham

Mothersheart1996@...



   ----- Original Message -----

   From: annissa87

   To: Autism-Mercury@yahoogroups.com

   Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 9:39 AM

   Subject: [Autism-Mercury] Re: teaching pill swallowing





   --- In Autism-Mercury@y..., "annaeyoung" <young5@a...> wrote:

   > I want to teach my 5 year old to swallow capsules.  I am fairly

   > confident she will be resistent at first and put up a good fight.

   > I'd really appreciate it if anyone who's been successful at this

   > would share their technique.  Thanks.

   > Kathy



   Kathy,



   My three year old has been swallowing pills for about 6 months now.

   I started when she was 2-1/2.  Some hints to help you.



   1.  Have a positive attitute.  Expect that she will do it.  Don't act

   like it's a big deal.  I don't know if your daughter is oppositional

   or not, but if she is and senses this is important to you, she might

   just clamp her mouth shut.



   2.  Put something in it for her.  For example give her a sticker or

   read her a story if she swallows the pill.  She has to want to do

   it.  Remember--she's in control unless you want to literally shove

   the pill down her throat (which I don't recommend if you want her to

   ever take pills willingly.)



   3.  Start small and tasteless.  A tiny capsule is easier to swallow

   than a round uncoated pill.  Glycine actually tastes good.  Vitamin E

   might not taste too bad.  That way, if she happens to chew it at

   first and it breaks open she wont have a bad memory about it.



   4.  At first you might want to put the pill in a spoonful of

   applesauce.  (I use the lower phenol baby food pear sauce).  Her

   instinct will be to swallow the sauce and the pill might just go

   right along with it...  It's really important to have a pill that

   tastes good here since the sauce will start to dissolve the pill.



   5.  There are some step by step instructions on the enzymes and

   autism site if I remember correctly.  This is what I used when

   teaching my kids.



   6.  Be patient.  It's a little like potty training.  Now if I could

   just get my daughter completely potty trained....





   Hope this helps.



   Sincerely,



   Annissa







         Yahoo! Groups Sponsor

               ADVERTISEMENT







   =======================================================

   Statements posted on this list are for information only,

   and should NOT be taken as medical advice.  If you need

   medical advice, you should seek it from those who are

   authorized to give medical advice: doctors.



   Post message: Autism-Mercury@yahoogroups.com

   Subscribe:    Autism-Mercury-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

   Unsubscribe:  Autism-Mercury-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

   List owner:   Autism-Mercury-owner@yahoogroups.com

   Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Autism-Mercury

   Answers to common questions:

   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Autism-Mercury/files/Mercury-Autism%20FAQ



   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Autism-Mercury@y..., "annaeyoung" <young5@a...> wrote:

> I want to teach my 5 year old to swallow capsules.  I am fairly

> confident she will be resistent at first and put up a good fight.

> I'd really appreciate it if anyone who's been successful at this

> would share their technique.  Thanks.

> Kathy



I see you have gotten a bunch of responses to this :) with

suggestions :)



There are a few posts on the subject, here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Autism-Mercury/files/HOW_TO_buy_DMSA

Look in section on "getting kids to take stuff".

Not a large collection....



best,

Moria