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Oral liquids, suspensions and elixirs
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| Use metric measures, such as a medicine syringe or cup |
Do NOT use everyday utensils, such as teaspoons or tablespoons |
| Count oral drops on a spoon before administering |
Do NOT administer drops directly from the bottle into the child’s mouth |
| Mix oral liquids with a small amount of water or juice |
Do NOT mix the medicine in large volumes |
| If the medicine is available in multiple flavours, ask the child for their preference |
Do NOT mix the medicine with a child’s essential foods (e.g. milk or formula), as the altered taste may cause future aversion to the essential foods |
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Tablets, capsules and solid dosage formulations
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| Place the tablet in the middle of the tongue and follow with a large volume of liquid |
Do NOT mix with honey in children younger than one year of age due to the potential risk of infant botulism |
| Try drinking a small amount of liquid from a bottle or using a straw |
Do NOT give large volumes (i.e. aim for one mouthful) |
| Try halving or quartering tablets |
Do NOT break modified-release, cytotoxic or hazardous medicines |
| Crush tablets between two spoons and mix with a small amount of soft food such as yoghurt, cold custard, fruit puree or jam |
Do NOT crush modified-release, cytotoxic or hazardous medicines |
| Try dispersing the tablet in a small volume of liquid (water or juice) |
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| Check with a pharmacist if the tablets can be crushed or the capsules opened |
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| Encourage parents and caregivers to teach children how to swallow tablets. There are several resources to assist with teaching children to swallow solid dosage forms (see Box) |
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