R.Ph., M.S. May 17,2009 MINDD Conference Sydney, Australia PURE Compounding Pharmacy Naperville, Illinois, USA Discussion Topics 1. Tips on Mixing Medicines in foods and liquids 2.Three methods to help swallow capsules and tablets For some medications your Pharmacist can make a dosage form other than capsules and tablets or liquids. For other medications Your pharmacist may be able to decrease the amount of medicine you give by combining the active ingredients together in a smaller amount of capsules or liquids. For everything else.. Mixing with foods and liquids Or learning to swallow www.mindd.org 1
Mix like with like Tips from parents with experience: Oils with oils or solids Water soluble medications with water based foods, liquids Use a latte mixer to blend the medicine in foods or liquids. To hide bitter drugs use: Citrus Flavors (Lemon, Orange ) Sour Cold..cold on tongue desensitizes taste buds Chocolate (syrup, brownie mix etc ) Apple Sauce Parents Favorites Pear Sauce (for phenol free diets) Spaghetti Sauce Oils mix well with spaghetti sauce. Powders do also. Masks taste well Can be warm temperature Make sure all of it is consumed Fruit Juice concentrates and home made popsicles www.mindd.org 2
Fruit sorbets, sherbets, ices Peanut Butter, Nut Butters, Apple Butter Almond or Peanut butter on a cracker Can make a little sandwich with crackers and jelly Some oils will mix into peanut butter Some water soluble nutrients/minerals will mix with apple butter and jellies. Yogurts and puddings Yogurts and puddings can be dairy free Ketchup and salad dressings Salad dressing good for oil based medications. Gluten Free, Casein Free brownies Use uncooked mixes to make a chewy bar type treat Mix medicine in frosting for brownie Lemon Curd, all fruit jelly Make sandwich cookies with the filling made from medicine and fruit jelly or lemon curd. www.mindd.org 3
Xylitol Syrup Make sure the source is birch tree, not corn Made at home or buy at the pharmacy Natural, anti-bacterial Can be flavored Does not ruin taste for a favorite food Too much can cause diarrhea. Using a syringe with liquids If youareusing anoralsyringe to give medications in liquids andthetasteis notpleasantsquirt the mixture slowly into the cheek pocket avoiding the taste buds. Learning to Swallow capsules and tablets Learn in a relaxed atmosphere when you have time.. Make sure the mouth is moist so the tablet or capsule does not stick to the tongue or inside the mouth For any of the swallowing methods start with a small capsule, tablet or food item Sink or Float Tabletssink so chin should point towards the ceiling Capsules float so tuck the chin to the chest For Capsules Use small capsules like probiotics Fill your own capsules, gradually move up in size Make sure you do not fill the capsule with something sweet so the child is not rewarded if they bite the capsule www.mindd.org 4
Home capsule fillers For Tablets Start with a small food like a pea or seed, or a small candy like Sun Drops chocolate candy (size of an M&M) Use wide mouth straw Make it fun! Flexible straws with cups allow some flexibility in angle from which the child drinks. Straw method Place the pill on the center of the tongue, sip thru large straw Straw Method If pill is still in the mouth remember that tablets sink and capsules float Capsules tuck chin to the chest Tablets point chin to the ceiling Spoon method Place pill in a big spoonful of pudding, yogurt, applesauce or slushy. Take a drink of water to moisten the mouth. Put the whole spoon in the mouth and swallow. If the pill remains take another spoonful or drink. This method will give the child confidence that they will not gag Slowly work up to larger size medications. www.mindd.org 5
Makes timing easier Pill Cups Place pill on ledge of cup and it will go in with the liquid in the cup Other Helpful hints. Do not mix medications in Calcium Fortified Juices Calcium binds with minerals (i.e.. Zinc and iron) Calcium binds with antibiotics. Calcium interacts with antifungals. Calcium binding with the above makes the medication less effective. Taking the medication is not optional. But you can offer a choice for after your child takes the medicine. Your child will feel more in control if they have an after medicine option. Please Call or Email with any suggestions you would like to see us add to our list Thanks! www.mindd.org 6