Pill swallowing

This resource is for children learning how to swallow pills with clinical assistance. Please do not try this at home.

What is pill school?

Pill school teaches children how to take solid pills by practising with sweets.

We work with your child, starting with small sweets like ‘hundreds and thousands’ and work our way up to the size of tablets.

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What is the point of pill school?

Learning to swallow tablets is a life skill, like tying shoelaces or riding a bike. Once you get the hang of it, it’s really easy.

It lets children move away from liquid medicines to tablets, which means you can:

What are the steps?

Find a comfortable place with no distractions. You can try this together.

Watch Ebony learn how to swallow her tablets.

Let your child choose their own drink. This can be milk, water or a sugar-free juice. Make sure the drink is put in a bottle with a sports cap to make it easier.

Start with the smallest sweet. Let them choose one for you to take too.

Place the sweet in the middle of your tongue. Do not tip your head back.

Seal your lips around the top of the bottle and take 3 big gulps without putting the bottle down.

You should have swallowed the sweet!

Try another sweet following the same steps.

Remember, practise makes perfect.

Top tips

• It really helps your child for you to show them how pleased you are that they have taken their medicines
• It is important to be firm and consistent but avoid punishments and treats
• Make pill taking part of the normal daily routine such as brushing their teeth and washing their face
• Try to give them their pills at the same time and in the same place where possible
• Let your child have some control such as which tablet they want to swallow first and what they would like to drink
• Use stories to help them imagine what is happening such as ‘the waterfall washes the pebble away’
• Make the process a fun experience
• Try not to bargain or bribe your child
• Avoid tricking your child with food hiding a tablet
• Instead use food to reduce the taste or help with swallowing such as jelly, milk, ice cream or yoghurt
• Avoid thick liquid like milkshake that could slow down the swallowing

What about when my child refuses?

Sometimes children may refuse to take their medicines.

Have a matter-of-fact attitude with them. You expect them to take their medicine just as you would expect them to put on a coat before going out in the cold weather.

Never ask your child if they want to take their medicine. This is not optional. Be firm in telling your child that it is time for medicine for example no other activities until it is done.

If your child refuses to take the medicine, stay in the room with your child alone and stay calm. Your child will be allowed to leave the room and go back to playing only after taking their medicine.

Speak to your medical team if your child is not taking their treatment.