Teaching Pill Swallowing

Show your child the steps in swallowing a pill.

Place a pill on the back of your tongue.
Keep the tongue flat.
Take liquid in the mouth.
Tilt the head backward slightly.
Swallow.

Use candy pills for practice.

Start with the smallest cake sprinkles you can find. Gradually increase the size of the candy in the following order:

Oblong, multicolored sprinkle used for cake decoration
Round, silver cake decoration
Round, multicolored candy that is 1/8 to 1/4 inch (0.3 to 0.7 centimeter) in diameter
Red licorice whip cut to a length of about 1/4 inch (1 centimeter)
Capsule-shaped candy, multicolored, sold as Tic Tacs or Dynamints
Normal-sized capsule: the child's actual pill of medicine.

Have your child practice swallowing each size of sprinkle or candy as many times as it takes for him or her to get used to it. These procedures usually take about 45 minutes to 1 hour but may take you a little longer.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File CHL3793F.HTM Release 9.0/2006