HEALTHY FAMILY
Liquids and
Pills and
Tablets, Oh My
treated like a supplemental health tool that
only works best when other healthy habits
are being followed, Johns says.

“It becomes something that is just
part of a continuum of staying healthy as
opposed to something that kids have to
focus on, whether it’s something scary or
something that’s hard to do,” Johns says.

Make it more appealing
Applesauce, yogurt, ice cream and
chocolate syrup are some of Johns’ favorite
foods to pair with liquid medicine. These
foods are easy to consume and can be
safely mixed with most liquid medications,
she says.

Tablets and pills, which are a bit tricky
for kids to swallow, go down easier when
taken with small treats that are sweet and
This method of transitioning from liquid
to pill medication is really empowering for
kids, Johns says.

Although Johns says that most
medications are safe to take with foods,
she recommends that parents still talk to
their child’s pediatrician before mixing
any medications with food. Specific
vitamins and other specialized categories
of medicines may not be 100 % safe to
consume with food. Iron, for example,
cannot be mixed in with acidic foods such
as orange juice.

Experiment with alternatives
“There are some children who have such
a hard time taking oral medicine that they
actually end up getting an injectable or a
shot,” says Johns.

“EXPLAINING THE REASON WHY
YOU’RE ASKING THEM TO TAKE
THE MEDICINE CAN BE HELPFUL
IN GAINING THEIR TRUST AND
UNDERSTANDING.” DR. CHRISTINA JOHNS
asking them to take the medicine can
be helpful in gaining their trust and
understanding,” Johns says.

During the conversation, Johns
emphasizes that parents stress the value
of health, wellness and taking care of one’s
own body. Medicine should “become one
element as part of a greater picture” rather
than a central focus, she adds.

It’s important to make it clear to your
child that medicine itself won’t keep them
healthy and safe. In times of sickness,
medicine isn’t the only magical cure.

Instead, medicine should be conveyed and
hard. To help build their confidence, Johns
recommends letting kids swallow their
tablets with a small handful of sprinkles—
the type that are frequently put on top
of ice cream, cakes and cookies. Once
comfortable with that, kids can move on to
swallowing tablets with small hard candies
like mini M&Ms. Finally, they can try
taking their pills with nothing but a glass
of water.

When swallowing tablets with water,
Johns says it is easier for kids to first place
the tablet at the back of their tongue. Then
the kids can take a sip of water and swallow
both the pill and the water together at the
same time.

A surprising trick that Johns suggests
is the squeeze-and-blow method. This
unconventional method encourages kids
to swallow a tablet placed into their
mouth by lightly squeezing their cheeks
and blowing a slight breeze directly onto
their face.

However, Jones emphasizes that such
unconventional tricks and tips should not
be the first method used by parents and
that they should talk to their pediatrician
before trying them.

At the end of the day, Jones says that
there’s no magic bullet to helping kids
take their medicine. Like most things in
life, it just takes time and patience. n
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