How can I get my 8 year old to swallow his ADHD meds easily?

Doc started 8 yr old son on concerta today and this morning it took me an hour and a half to get him to swallow it and even then I had to stick my finger in his throat. It was AWFUL and truamatic for both of us. Any suggetions? I dont want to go through this every morning, HELP!!

Also note that concerta in time release and cannot be crushed, it is in a capsule form, beleive me, if there was an easier way I woulda done it!

tell the doctor that your son is unable to swallow a pill. There are other medications that can be prescribed instead. My son is 13, has been on meds since age 6, and cannot swallow a pill to this day. We have a had success administering the daytrana patch ( looks like a nicotine patch, but has ADHD meds in it and goes on the hip), he is currently on Vyvanse ( the literature for this says it can and should be opened and sprinkled in water for kids who cannot swallow pills). He has also been on adderall and one other medication ( can't remember the name). We did concerta for one month...I made him keep it in his mouth all day...at $1 per pill he was not allowed to spit it out. I figured at some point during the day he would accidently swallow it, or the time release would melt in his mouth and he would still get the meds.

ETA: he has tried adderall, concerta, daytrana, vyvanse and strattera for his ADHD. He has also been on tenex and risperdal for the last 2 years ( with the vyvanse) for his PDD issues. He does not enjoy the taste, but he does take the meds with reminders.

Adderol and concerta ruined my life. Nothing in my life has set me back more than the effects of these stimulant drugs on my life. They are little more than speed, and rob children of emotions and joy, leaving them with little more than apathy and anger.

I'm glad you're working with a doctor, but PLEASE give a second thought to the use of these drugs. They have caused terrible problems for me and everyone else i know who was put on them.

If you really have to medicate, Ask about Strattera. It's an AD(H)D medication that isn't an amphetamine. It did a WHOLE LOT of good for me and others I know.

Is he refusing to take it, or is he unable to swallow it?

You can't crush it up because it needs to dissolve throughout the day.

Call the doctor back and ask for help. There has to be an easier way!

Edited to add:

http://www.wikihow.com/Swallow-a-Pill

http://www.oralflo.com/howthecupworks.ht...

It's a little hard to master at first, but when he has the pill and the water in his mouth and he swallows, tell him to tip his chin down - seems counterintuitive, but it pushes the pill back and down better than tipping the head back does.

Concerta?

DO YOU KNOW HOW ADHD MEDS WORK! THEY WORK IN THE SAME WAY AS COCAINE! DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT USE ADHD MEDS! YOUR DOCTOR WON'T EVEN NO THIS! A NEUROCHEMIST WILL TELL YOU THAT ADHD MED WORK LIKE COCAINE, NOT A GP, DON'T USE THEM!!!!!

you could chop it up and put it in his juice or food or somethinq thats awhole lot easir than trying to shoce it down his throat!

Put the medicine in yogurt or jelly