GummyTalk Forum

Okay so I need to share this before I laugh/cry myself into a puddle. My husband got these new 'softgel' gummy vitamins for our kids - they're supposed to be easier to swallow or whatever. My 4yo daughter sees the bottle, immediately goes 'CANDY!' and before I can stop her, she's grabbed THREE and shoved them in her mouth. I'm freaking out, she's chewing them (they're NOT meant to be chewed btw) and making this horrified face because they taste awful. Now she's spitting purple goo everywhere and crying. Are these things even safe if chewed? I'm half laughing, half ready to call poison control. Anyone else's kids do this?

OMG Sam, that's both hilarious and my worst nightmare! My 7yo refuses to even TOUCH gummy vitamins now because he bit into a softgel once and said it felt like 'slimy boogers' (his exact words, I swear). He gagged for 10 minutes. I'm super skeptical about these new formulations - if they're not meant to be chewed, why make them look exactly like gummy candy? The packaging is practically begging for accidents. Did you check the label for chew warnings? I feel like they should have giant red letters saying DO NOT CHEW.

As a fitness pro who takes supplements daily, I have to jump in here. Softgels are designed for quick absorption when swallowed whole - chewing them destroys the timed-release mechanism and can cause stomach upset. For kids, I always recommend traditional gummies or liquid vitamins instead. The texture issue is real though - my training partner's wife refuses softgels because she says they feel 'like swallowing a jellyfish.' For your situation, SolarSam, monitor for any nausea but she should be fine. Maybe try hiding them in a spoonful of yogurt next time?

Update: Called the pediatrician's after-hours line (because of course this happens at 7pm). They said as long as it was just 3 and she didn't choke, she'll probably just have weird-colored poop tomorrow. But Vince - you're totally right about the yogurt trick! I used to do that with my older one's meds. Dan, the bottle DOES have 'swallow whole' in tiny print on the back, but the front just says 'Great Tasting Gummy Vitamins!' in huge rainbow letters. False advertising much?

Tiny print strikes again! They know exactly what they're doing. My sister's toddler once ate half a bottle of melatonin gummies because they were left on the counter - ended up in the ER (he was fine, just super sleepy for 2 days). These companies need better safety packaging. Glad your little one is okay, Sam! Maybe we should start a petition for clearer labels. Or just go back to the classic Flintstones chewables - at least those actually taste good when chewed!