Available dosage forms
Swallowing whole solid dose forms is preferred
Children should be encouraged to swallow oral solid dose forms (tablets and capsules) where possible:
- Medicines for Children has useful guides on how to give medicines, including giving tablets and giving capsules.
- KidzMed is an e-Learning resource from Health Education England for healthcare professionals teaching children to swallow pills.
Other options
Paediatric antibiotic suspensions and some whole oral dosage forms are licensed for use in children at a variety of ages.
Where children are unable to swallow whole oral dosage forms, we provide advice on how to give doses by dispersing or crushing tablets or by opening capsules. Use in this way may be outside the product licence and is thus “off-label”.
Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) tablets
Phenoxymethylpenicillin tablets are available in a 250mg strength.
Dispersing or crushing
They are film-coated but can be dispersed in water, or crushed and mixed with liquid or soft food. Crushing tablets should not be undertaken by anyone with a penicillin allergy.
Dispersing tablets
To disperse the tablet:
- place the tablet in the barrel of a 10mL oral syringe
- replace the plunger
- draw up approximately 5mL of water and 2mL of air
- shake well and allow to disperse (this may take up to 10 minutes)
- ensure all contents of the syringe are given
Alternatively, the tablet may be mixed with 5 to 10mL of water in small glass or medicine cup and stirred well.
Masking the taste
The dispersed or crushed tablet will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the crushed tablet with food or drink, give it straight away
Phenoxymethylpenicillin would normally be given half an hour before food as food slightly decreases the peak plasma concentration of the drug; however, the manufacturer acknowledges food does not appear to affect the extent of absorption.
Clarithromycin tablets
Clarithromycin immediate-release tablets are available as 250mg and 500mg strengths.
Dispersing or crushing
They are film-coated but can be crushed and mixed with liquid or soft food. Crushing tablets should not be undertaken by anyone with a macrolide allergy. The modified-release tablets must not be crushed.
Dispersing tablets
To disperse the tablet:
- place the tablet in the barrel of a 10mL oral syringe
- replace the plunger
- draw up approximately 5mL of water and 2mL of air
- shake well and allow to disperse (this may take up to 10 minutes)
- ensure all contents of the syringe are given
Alternatively, the tablet may be mixed with 5 to 10mL of water in small glass or medicine cup and stirred well.
Masking the taste
The crushed tablet will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the crushed tablet with food or drink, give it straight away
Erythromycin tablets
Erythromycin tablets are available as 250mg and 500mg strengths. Some are film coated and some are enteric coated.
Dispersing or crushing
The film-coated tablets can be crushed and mixed with liquid or soft food. Crushing tablets should not be undertaken by anyone with a macrolide allergy. Enteric coated tablets should not be crushed and will not disperse in water.
Dispersing tablets
To disperse the tablet:
- place the tablet in the barrel of a 10mL oral syringe
- replace the plunger
- draw up approximately 5mL of water and 2mL of air
- shake well and allow to disperse (this may take up to 10 minutes)
- ensure all contents of the syringe are given
Alternatively, the tablet may be mixed with 5 to 10mL of water in small glass or medicine cup and stirred well.
Masking the taste
The crushed tablet will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the crushed tablet with food or drink, give it straight away
Note that some generic products advise to give one hour before food, however this may not be necessary and is not practical in this situation.
Amoxicillin capsules
Amoxicillin capsules are available in 250mg and 500mg strengths.
Opening and dispersing
The capsules can be opened and the contents tipped out and mixed with liquid or soft food. However, this should not be undertaken by anyone with a penicillin allergy.
Masking the taste
The capsule contents will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the powder with food or drink, give it straight away
Azithromycin capsules
Azithromycin capsules are available in a 250mg strength.
Opening and dispersing
They can be opened and the contents tipped out and mixed with liquid or soft food. However, this should not be performed by anyone with a macrolide allergy.
Masking the taste
The capsule contents will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the powder with food or drink, give it straight away
Absorption of azithromycin capsules (but not tablets or oral suspension) can be decreased by food; however, it is not clear whether absorption of opened capsules is affected.
Azithromycin tablets
Azithromycin tablets are available as 250mg and 500mg strengths.
Dispersing or crushing
They are film-coated but can be crushed and mixed with liquid or soft food. Crushing tablets should not be undertaken by anyone with a macrolide allergy.
Dispersing tablets
To disperse the tablet:
- place the tablet in the barrel of a 10mL oral syringe
- replace the plunger
- draw up approximately 5mL of water and 2mL of air
- shake well and allow to disperse (this may take up to 10 minutes)
- ensure all contents of the syringe are given
Alternatively, the tablet may be mixed with 5 to 10mL of water in small glass or medicine cup and stirred well.
Masking the taste
The crushed tablet will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the crushed tablet with food or drink, give it straight away
Cefalexin capsules
Cefalexin capsules are available as 250mg and 500mg strengths.
Opening and dispersing
They can be opened and the contents tipped out and mixed with liquid or soft food. However, this should not be performed by anyone with penicillin or cephalosporin allergy.
Masking the taste
The capsule contents will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the powder with food or drink, give it straight away
Cefalexin tablets
Cefalexin tablets are available as 250mg and 500mg strengths.
Dispersing or crushing
They are film-coated but can be crushed and mixed with liquid or soft food. Crushing tablets should not be undertaken by anyone with a penicillin or cephalosporin allergy.
Dispersing tablets
To disperse the tablet:
- place the tablet in the barrel of a 10mL oral syringe
- replace the plunger
- draw up approximately 5mL of water and 2mL of air
- shake well and allow to disperse (this may take up to 10 minutes)
- ensure all contents of the syringe are given
Alternatively, the tablet may be mixed with 5 to 10mL of water in small glass or medicine cup and stirred well.
Masking the taste
The crushed tablet will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the crushed tablet with food or drink, give it straight away
Flucloxacillin capsules
Flucloxacillin capsules are available as 250mg and 500mg strengths.
Opening and dispersing
They can be opened and the contents tipped out and mixed with liquid or soft food. However, this should not be performed by anyone with penicillin allergy.
Masking the taste
The capsule contents will taste bitter so it can be helpful to use a strongly flavoured drink (e.g. blackcurrant cordial) or food (e.g. jam, apple sauce, yoghurt) that the child likes:
- use a small amount of food or drink (e.g. a teaspoonful) so you can be sure the child eats it all and swallows the whole dose
- it might be helpful to use an oral syringe for liquids
- after mixing the powder with food or drink, give it straight away
Although flucloxacillin is generally given on an empty stomach, a study in children found there was no difference in absorption when flucloxacillin was given with or without food.
Further advice on preparing medicines
Our additional advice on preparing medicines was written with adults in mind, but can be applied for use in children too.
Preparing medicines for administration to adults with swallowing difficulties
Advice on repackaging medicines
Repacking and over-labelling small batches of medicines
Update history
- Link to repackaging and overlabelling guidance added.
- Clarification added around dispersing erythromycin.
- Advice included for flucloxacillin. Minor editorial changes to headings.
- Minor amendments made to summary text and paragraph of explanatory text.
- Published