Try the Pill Trick!
We all remember growing up and making that leap from taking liquid medicine to taking a pill! Many of us might remember struggling with swallowing a pill for the first time— maybe the first several times. Now, you have your own child struggling with the same issue. How do you help them get used to it?
First, before you move your child from liquid medicine to pills, make sure they are old enough to swallow small candy without you being concerned about them choking. If they’re able to do that, try out this trick! All you need is a glass of water and some sprinkles!
Demonstrate how to swallow a pill a couple of times for your child using the sprinkles before encouraging them to do it themselves. Show them it isn’t scary! Stick out your tongue and place a sprinkle on your tongue. Take a sip of water and then reveal there is no longer a sprinkle in your mouth! Make it seem like a magic trick that you’re going to show them.
Then, give a sprinkle to your child and ask them to take a drink of water and do what you showed them. Tell them to swallow everything in their mouth carefully and then get them to show you their mouth is clear. Try this a few times or until they get it down!
Be sure to clarify to your child, though, that pills are NOT candy. Even though you may be using small hard candy to teach them how to swallow a pill, they need to know the difference, so they won’t get into pills on their own thinking they’ve found a tasty treat!
