title: Minitablets: new modality to deliver medicines to preschool-aged children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal was to assess the acceptability and suitability of placebo minitablets for preschool-aged children.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred children 2 to 6 years of age were recruited from a major London hospital. How to swallow the minitablet was discussed with the child, and chewing was discouraged. The parents were asked to administer 1 minitablet (placebo, 3-mm diameter) to the child. The outcomes were recorded as (1) swallowed, (2) chewed, (3) spat out, or (4) refused to take.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the youngest children (2 years of age), almost one half (46%) swallowed the minitablet. The proportion increased to 53% for children 3 years of age. Children > or =4 years of age were more likely to swallow the minitablet than not to swallow the minitablet, with 85% of 5-year-old children swallowing the minitablet. The ability to swallow the minitablet was not affected by gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the potential to use minitablets for the treatment of preschool-aged children and suggests that minitablets can be used as a potential new formulation for children in this age range.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Paediatric Pharmacy Research, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, England.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuleu
authors.forename: Ian C K
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keady
authors.forename: Kendal G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Pitt
authors.forename: Alastair G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013607:Tablets
chemical_list: D013607:Tablets