This post explains how positive attitudes, and a bit of magic can turn a child as young as 3/4 into a tablet swallowing machine!

This post is about getting children to master the skill of tablet swallowing!
Before we begin, remember that children often learn skills because they want to demonstrate them and receive praise. As with everything in paediatrics, parents strongly influence their childrens feelings about swallowing medicine. If you feel anxious about them taking medicine they will notice, and so its better to give this game to someone else!!
Magic disappearing pills - How to teach children to swallow tablets!

You start with swallowing sweets!
They aren't scary and they aren't bitter if they dont go down.
You work your way up to a sweet the size of the pill that they need to take. This method is supported by the Royal College of Paediatrics!
Start with tiny bits like hundreds and thousands – everyone can swallow those like magic!
Upgrade to a tiny cake decoration, then a slightly bigger (still non choke-able!) sweet
like a 'smartie' or a rolled up tiny ball of bread- then tic tacs and beyond!
Let them choose a great drink and put it in their water bottle, something they are fluent at drinking out of already.
Get comfy siting down in your Magician outfit
Put the sweet in the middle of your tongue and theirs
Don’t throw your heads back, lean slightly forward if anything
Seal lips around a bottle of chosen drink and take 3 gulps to wash the sweet down (3 gulps without putting the bottle down)
You go first and show them its gone- like MAGIC!
Now their turn..
If it doesn’t go down its just a sweet and is not disgusting- play again
If it does go down they are a magician and each time they manage to swallow a bigger sweet they are congratulated for their magic skills!
*Remember if you have any negative feelings about pills or you are anxious that your child cant do it -don’t bother- give this task to a family member or friend to play with your child until they master it, then they can come back and do their magic trick for you!
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 A note on the Power of Storytelling and games
You'll probably be surprised how quickly your child will embrace the game of learning to take tablets- but once they can physically do it you may need to encourage them to continue if needed on a regular basis using stories and games.
Storytelling is really powerful for children. Relatable books and shows featuring characters who take medicine and get positive outcomes provide them with context, help normalise medication and teach about bravery in doing things that you dont want to do. Gamification on top leads to around a 40% increase in willingness to take medicine among children, making it into a game every time makes it FUN!
Songs can also help, maybe one day I will share my ''Don't get the bug swallow with a glug song!"
I hope you find this post useful! All my patients are advised to start this process 2 weeks before they actually need to start antimalarials, which currently dont come in liquid form.
If they then truly will not take the tablet, by starting early, we have time to change method (I have some other tricks!) or change the tablet itself to a different one that doesnt have negative associations.
Get intouch!