In some situations, children may need to take medication so they can recover from their illness. Not all medicines for children come in liquid form, such as syrup with a fruity taste that the child's tongue can accept. Some of them may come in pill form and have a bitter taste so the child refuses to take them.

In fact, if they don't take medicine, they will never recover from their illness. Here are some tips to help children take medicine medication more easily, especially those that come in pill form.

Start teaching at a young age

It is much easier to teach children to take medicine in pill form at around 4-5 years of age, when children have not yet developed a fear of it. Teaching children to swallow medicine in pill form from the age of 8 may be much more difficult because children already have fears.

Show children how to take medicine by being a role model for them. You can also use visual aids such as books or pictures depicting children happily swallowing pills. This can help reduce your child's fears and show that swallowing pills is something many sick people do.

Putting the medication in their food

Not all medicines can be crushed before drinking. There are several medications that should not be refined because of the following reasons:

• Has a controlled release period of the drug in the body
• Has a protective layer so that the medicine is protected from environmental influences or to provide a pleasant taste so that the medicine is easy to swallow
• It has soluble properties and is related to the effectiveness of the drug
• Has an irritating nature
• Has a therapeutic window that corresponds to the dose and time of administration

For the reasons above, you can try other alternatives, such as putting pills in food so that children can swallow more easily. However, beforehand, you need to confirm with your doctor whether the drug is safe to take with or mix with food. If your doctor confirms that this is not a problem, make sure to choose foods that are easy to swallow.

Disguise the taste

Not all children can quickly learn to swallow medicine in the form of pills or tablets. Some children may spit it out because of the bitter taste of the medicine.

You can disguise the taste of the medicine by offering fruit juice or chocolate candy. It's best not to offer honey when your child is taking medication because honey may interact with certain medications.

Give a simple explanation

Explain to your child why they need to take medication and how it will help them feel better. Use simple and easy-to-understand words according to the child's level of understanding.

Give praise and positive encouragement when the child succeeds in swallowing the pill well. Praise will help children feel appreciated and more motivated to be able to take medication without drama.

Always remember that every child is different and it may take longer to swallow pills or tablets comfortably. If you experience difficulties or concerns, consult a pediatrician to get input or other tips to make it easier for your child to take medication.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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