Sunday, February 5, 2012

And That's When She Started To Gag

I'm not sure when kids start swallowing pills.  Maybe my children are remedial in this regard, but at ages 6 and 8 it is no easy feat.  Because the anti-malaria meds cost a pretty penny, the nurse suggested the kids practice their pill swallowing skills with sweet tarts.  It's a good thing they did because it took half a dozen times to get it down.  Zoom insisted on the pill dissolving entirely in his mouth and Renny insisted on sticking her entire hand down her throat.





What is a normal age for kids to be able to swallow pills?

We plan to do quite a bit of traveling outside of Addis on our next trip to Ethiopia (which is this FRIDAY, by the way!!!!!!).  Have you been, seen or heard about cool places to visit, either inside or outside of Addis?  Know of good travel companies to escort our family south?  If so, do me a huge favor and send me your suggestions, either in the comment form below or drop me an email.  Feel free to copy links if you've blogged about said cool places.

Thanks friends!  Praise Jesus, the time is drawing near!



17 comments:

  2. If it's any relief, MB will most assuredly come home already knowing this pill-swallowing skill. Shortly after Markos was home, he had a fever and I was trying to get a tylenol melt-tab and such out for him. Before I explained to him how to take it, I was fidgeting with putting the box back in the cabinet, and he reached down, picked up the melt-tab, and swallowed it whole without any water. I was totally freaked out. Then I heard from others that when their kiddos came home, at even younger ages, they also already knew how to swallow pills. I suppose melt-tabs and liquids are not as easy to come by in ET. ;-)

    Can't wait to hear about your trip!!

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    1. Lori - that's funny! Maybe MB will make up for the total drama king/queens his big brother and sister were about the pills.

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  3. poor daughter of yours... such a pretty picture you posted of her.

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    1. HA! My daughter was actually quite proud of this funny picture I took of her gagging and she wanted me to post it :) Now, how she'll feel about it in 5 years or so may be a different story ...

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  4. Well, if it's any consolation, Cale canNOT swallow pills and it does end in gagging and heaving. Nice right? My friend's kid, same age, can. Sorry, I'm no help. We did wrap it in cheese, kind of like for a dog. Oh, and on a spoon with yogurt. You can try that!

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  5. It looks like Agnostic Adoption did some cool traveling on her most recent trip. Check her blog. Also, I will check to see if my friend who runs tours there is back yet. See if she can help or not.

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  6. I have no travel advice for you, but I wanted to wish you Godspeed for your journey. (I just love that expression....Godspeed....)

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    1. HA. I'll take a little Godspeed on this trip for sure!

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  7. I'm so excited for you! Poor kids...funny pics. :) My seven year old can swallow a pill, but I totally did NOT expect him to be able to.

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  8. FRIDAY!! yeeeeee!!! i am useless when it comes to travel info...i just went where everyone else did and closed my eyes at each intersection. :)

    and i'm fairly certain that's STILL what i look like when i choke down pills.

    praying your day takes a turn for the happy.

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  10. I just came across this blog. The picture of your daughter gagging basically has me hooked. Hilarious!

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  11. Saw the earlier hint re: on a spoon. we use apple sauce. it does the trick

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  12. My boys started swallowing pills about age 5, they learned pretty quickly it was much better than taking them crushed in applesauce.

    I spent a week in northern Ethiopia last May and met Yigermal (Yigo Getu Tarekegn)as we passed through Addis - he was the friend of a friend. He is an amazing young man and works through Amazing Ethiopian Tours. I usually "talk" to him through face book.

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  13. When we took our kids to Ethiopia, the older was already a pro at swallowing pills (he was 7.5 but had been taking a med he needed to swallow for a year), and the younger had an amazing gag reflex (age 5.5). We practiced with red hots, I think. She got better at it. Not great. I seem to remember a dramatic gagging and then spewing episode in a long line at the Amsterdam airport. Not pretty. Eventually we found that she did best if we put a tiny bit of food in her mouth first, let her chew that up and then when she felt like she wanted to swallow anyway for the food, she'd slip the pill in really quickly and swallow it all together with some water. Our Ethiopian son learned to swallow pills easily at age 3 (TB meds for 9 months), so I think it's just a matter of practice. Good luck! :-)

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    1. MRK - that might be the best pill swallowing story ever :)

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