Dive Deeper

• Taking whole tablets or capsules

  It can be daunting for your child when they first have to swallow a pill. Don't worry, once they have the hang of it, it will become easy for them. Follow the steps below to help your child swallow a tablet or capsule.

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
  2. Remove the required number of tablets from the bottle and put them in a plastic cup.
  3. Ask your child to rest one tablet or capsule on their tongue.
  4. Let the child choose their own drink. The tablet or capsule should be washed down and swallowed along with the drink.
  5. Repeat steps two-four until your child has taken the whole dose.

• How to crush tablets or empty capsules and give them as a mixture

  Some medications can be dangerous if you don't follow the dose instructions. Only crush a tablet or split a capsule on the advice of your GP or pharmacist. 

  If the prescriber has said it is ok, follow the steps below to safely give a crushed tablet or split capsule to your child.

  1. Wash your hands well with soap and water.
  2. Remove the required number of tablets from the bottle and put them in a plastic cup.
  3. If you’re giving a tablet – use a tablet crusher to crush it into a powder. These can be purchased online or you can ask the pharmacist. If you do not have a tablet crusher you could use a pestle and mortar to crush the tablet.
  4. If you’re giving a capsule – hold it over the plastic cup and gently pull the two halves apart so that the contents fall into the plastic cup.
  5. Mix the crushed tablet or capsule contents with a teaspoon of yogurt. Remember to mix it well so that there aren’t any lumps.
  6. Feed the yogurt mixture to your child.
  7. Give your child a drink to wash it down.

• How to give a proportion of a crushed tablet

  Some medications can be dangerous if you don't follow the dose instructions. Only crush a tablet or split a capsule on the advice of your GP or pharmacist. 

  1. Measure a specific volume of water in a cup.
  2. If you’re giving a tablet – use a tablet crusher to crush it into a powder. These can be purchased online or you can ask the pharmacist. If you do not have a tablet crusher you could use a pestle and mortar to crush the tablet.
  3. Empty the crushed tablet into the cup of water.
  4. Let the powder dissolve in the water. Mix using a spoon.
  5. How much water your child needs, depends on how much of the tablet they need to take. For example, if your child needs to take half a tablet, they would need to have have the water and powder mix.
  6. Draw up the liquid using a syringe and give it to your child. You can ask the pharmacist for a syringe.

  Always use a new tablet each time you give medicine, unless otherwise directed.

• How to look after you child’s tablets or capsules

  It is important that you store the tablets or capsules correctly so they are effective and safe. 

  • Store the tablets or capsules out of direct sunlight.
  • Read the instructions and only use the tablets or capsules as instructed.
  • Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
  • Check the expiry date on the medicine before you give it.
  • If medicine is past its expiry date, or your child stops using it, you can return any leftover to your pharmacist – do not flush it down the toilet or throw it away.