Acceptability of different oral formulations in infants and preschool children

Objective Liquid medicines are easy to swallow. However, they may have disadvantages, such as a bad taste or refrigerated storage conditions. These disadvantages may be avoided by the use of oral solid medicines, such as powders or tablets. The aim of this study was to investigate the acceptability...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of disease in childhood 2013-09, Vol.98 (9), p.725-731
Main Authors: van Riet-Nales, Diana A, de Neef, Barbara J, Schobben, Alfred F A M, Ferreira, José A, Egberts, Toine C G, Rademaker, Catharine M A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Oral
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child Development
Child health
Child, Preschool
Children
Cross-Over Studies
Developmental Delays
Dosage and administration
Dosage Form
Drug Therapy
Eating Disorders
Female
General aspects
Health aspects
Humans
Infant
Infants
Male
Medical sciences
Medicine
Miscellaneous
Netherlands
Observation
Oral drugs
Oral medication
Outcomes of Treatment
Parent
Parents
Patient Acceptance
Patient Preference
Pharmaceutical Solutions - administration & dosage
Physical Development
Powders - administration & dosage
Preschool children
Prevention and actions
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Suspension
Suspensions - administration & dosage
Tablets - administration & dosage
Taste
Water
Young Children
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Summary:Objective Liquid medicines are easy to swallow. However, they may have disadvantages, such as a bad taste or refrigerated storage conditions. These disadvantages may be avoided by the use of oral solid medicines, such as powders or tablets. The aim of this study was to investigate the acceptability of and preference among four oral formulations in domiciliary infants and preschool children in The Netherlands. Methods Parents administered four oral placebo dosage forms that were aimed at a neutral taste, at home, to their child (1–4 years of age) twice on one day following a randomised cross-over design: small (4 mm) tablet, powder, suspension and syrup. They were asked to report the child's acceptability by a score on a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS score) and by the result of the intake. At the end of the study, they were asked to report the preference of the child and themselves. Results 183 children were included and 148 children were evaluated. The data revealed a period/cross-over effect. The estimate of the mean VAS score was significantly higher for the tablet than for the suspension (tablet 9.39/9.01; powder 8.84/8.20, suspension 8.26/7.90, syrup 8.35/8.19; data day 1/all days). The estimate of the mean number of intakes fully swallowed was significantly higher for the tablet than for the other formulations (all p values
ISSN:0003-9888
1468-2044
DOI:10.1136/archdischild-2012-303303