How did a Paediatric Nurse and her Step-daughter find using Gloup for the first time?

I have always struggled with taking tablets of any size. It is a psychological fear linked with previous experiences of gagging as a child and adult. Currently, I use yoghurt to swallow tablets or capsules whole. If it is a very large tablet, I would typically need to break the drug in half. When this has not been possible, I have experienced choking on tablets, or feeling queasy and anxious during swallowing. I usually take an SSRI, a contraceptive, Echinacea and a large multivitamin daily.

I am also a qualified paediatric nurse. I have witnessed children in extreme distress from attempting to swallow tablets, which could not be recreated in liquid or other non-oral form. This can build strong and long term aversions to important medicine. Furthermore, children have vomited the medication, because they have become so distraught from the experience, it made them nauseous.

I have experienced children with learning disabilities or dysphasia may find it extremely hard to swallow tablets. Children with learning disabilities may not understand how to swallow the medication and refuse because of the taste, feel, or discomfort it may create in the oral cavity and whilst swallowing. Children with dysphasia may require an IDDSI level three diet of moderately thick liquid/pureed food to swallow safely. Still, due to some medication only being available in solid form, a child might not be offered a certain medication, or struggle swallowing it if required.

Lastly, attempting to covertly hide medication without children’s knowledge, in for example yoghurt or other food, can be unethical and is a serious matter. If required however, consent would be essential from parents.

My step-daughter aged four, tried both flavours, which she really enjoyed and wanted more. She said that she would be willing to try tablets if it was in the Gloup. She is terrible at ingesting any form of medication usually. As mentioned previously, covert administration of medication may be used with children. With Gloup however, the child or adult, would most likely be aware of the medication being administered and would be able to see it in the clear formulation.

When I tried both flavours they both represented the flavour they were attempting to attain. I could not deduce any difference between the sugar free and original flavours. The sweetness was correct.  The flavours are slightly strong, yet not unpleasant for my palette and lingers for a short time once swallowed, although I believe this is intentional, due to the function of hiding the taste of some medicines.

I tried each flavour and zero/original versions with my regular medication, Echinacea and multivitamin. The daily prescribed medicines are small tablets, one round and one rectangular. I was able to swallow these with ease using the gel. The gel texture was not unusual and I could not feel the tablets in my mouth at all. Moreover, with the considerably larger multivitamin and Echinacea, the experience was no different. I had no adverse effects and it was gentle on my stomach.

Looking inside the box, a tube filled with the product and further instructions are inside. The tube is easy to open and has the same design as the box. The flip lid is easy to open. The instructions give relevant information. The 75ml would provide a person approximately fifteen days’ worth of usage, providing you use one 5ml spoon of the gel once a day. This would be more suitable for a short term use product or first time user. As a customer I would be more inclined to buy the bigger bottle regardless, in the knowledge I would not need to re-order quickly and it would be better value.

There is also a quick step by step visual which is useful and the link to the website. It is valuable to know that multiple tablets/capsules can be taken simultaneously. I was also amazed to find out that placing it in the fridge has the scientific benefit of aiding swallowing. I feel this may also provide a pleasant sensory experience, for some children, with or without Autism and sensory processing disorders. An additional positive, is that it can be stored up to twenty-five degrees for two months.

A great, innovative product overall, which I think would be very beneficial to a range of people young or old.

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