TIPS TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO SWALLOW PILLS

16/10/2020

Swallowing a pill is a nightmare for most children. Despite knowing that pills can make them feel better, children often reject swallowing pills as they find it difficult and also, pills’ taste is not delicious after all!

Swallowing a pill is an important skill that should be taught to children when they are at least 4 years old and at a stage when they seem cooperative to learn new skills. If possible, let your child watch you swallowing a pill before he tries himself.

To swallow a pill, you should let your child:

-Sit up straight with his head straight

-Avoid tilting his head back too much as it can make it harder to swallow

-Take a few sips of water to practice swallowing

-Put a pill on his tongue and then drink the water again.

In addition, you should check the instructions to see whether the pill can be taken with food. If the pill does not have to be taken on an empty stomach, your child can take a sip of water and something thicker than water (like milk or yogurt). You can also try to put the pill in a semi-solid food like pudding or apple.

If the pill is too big for your child, ask the pharmacist whether it is safe to cut the pill into smaller pieces.

Remember to praise your child if he swallows the pill successfully. If not, you should stay calm and encourage your child to try again. If your child refuses, stop and take a break. You can try again later.

At AIH, for the purpose of preventing cross-contamination, the pediatric clinic is properly designed and divided into two separate areas: area for symptomatic children and area for well children. Children with suspected symptoms will be quickly removed from common waiting area and placed in a separate examination room on arrival.

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For checkup and consultation at AIH:

☎️ Hotline: (028) 3910 9999

🌏 Website: www.aih.com.vn

📍 Address: 199 Nguyen Hoang street, An Phu Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh city.