Getting any kid to take Tylenol/Advil/vitamins, whatever, is probably hard as heck enough as it is. Throw in the spiciness of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and you've got a kid who will not put anything that isn't in his daily food routine into his mouth.
It took me a long time to get Nate accustomed to taking a multi-vitamin everyday, and one way I did that was making sure I bought those gimmicky kids gummies - you know, the Finding Dory, Sesame Street or Toy Story ones? Though I find the gummies are always very awkwardly and ambiguously shaped, the design of one of his fave movies on the container helped him learn to trust the gummy.
This then expanded to other gummies - currently, extra Vitamin C that he's taking. He no longer cares about the shape/taste of the gummy, because it has become part of his daily routine. Let me tell you, if you forget to give that kid his vitamins ONE day, he'll let you know the next day by making a big deal about having to take them (a typical response for Nate when you remove/add a portion of his daily schedule one day, then remove/add it back the next day).
One issue I always had with Nate was giving him Tylenol. My step-son will shot-gun a medicine cup of Tylenol faster than I can shoot tequila, but Nate? Nope. It doesn't matter if it's bubble gum, grape, apple, fruit punch, whatever - that grainy, gritty texture? I think it's a definite "no" from him. I don't blame him, I remember some nasty liquid medicines my mom gave me when I was a kid (anyone remember that lemony/banana-y one?)
We tried everything. Pinning him down to shoot it from a syringe into his mouth. Mixing it into a small amount of juice. EVERYTHING. Nothing worked. We'd end up wasting juice because he'd refuse to drink it, or we'd end up with a sobbing child from being forced to take medicine, that he'd then cry so hard he'd puke it up.
The real challenge came when Nate was diagnosed with a severe ear infection, and was put on a disgusting amount of liquid amoxicillin. I'm talking 3 big syringe-fulls, 3 times a day. It was hell. I honestly felt for him, because that stuff SMELLED like death in a bottle. Nick and I tried everything to get this kid to take his meds, but again, it usually ended in Nate being pinned down, sobbing, and absolutely traumatized.
I finally got the idea to mix his meds with something a little more flavourful and along the same consistency, and added the amoxicillin to his drinkable yogurt. The lid twists off, dump a tiny bit of yogurt, add the meds, and shake realllllly well. His drinkable yogurts are one thing he will drink/eat no matter what, and has enough flavour to mask the deathly smell/taste of the meds.
Once that worked (yes, he was having like 3 yogurts a day), we kept that up for all our liquid med needs. Tylenol, cold meds, you name it - it went in the yogurt.
We were thrown a curveball when Nate started an anti-aggression med (I'll save this story for another post). The paediatrician told me it was liquid form, which was awesome. I stocked up on yogurt, and decided that would become his "nighttime treat" before bed. Low and behold, I wait 30 minutes in line at the pharmacy to be handled a bottle of pills. Apparently., that med doesn't COME in liquid form. I asked if they were at least dissolvable, and they said "oh, no, these are just normal oral pills."
"Dude, my kid is 3 and has Autism. He's not going to take an oral pill."
"Well, it's a small pill, and a small dose, he'll learn."
HA.
HA.
HA.
Flashes of tantrums, choking, screaming, etc flooded my vision as I strongly insisted he figure out a way to get me this medication in a form that can be administered to my child. I said that I found it odd the paediatrician would prescribe a COMMON med for aggression in children that could not actually be taken by a small child.
10 minutes later, I left with a bottle of dissolvable pills to add to Nate's nighttime bottle.
If it's available as a dissolvable, or liquid, I will fight to the death for that version.
Thankfully, Nate really doesn't require meds all too often, aside from his small dissolvable pill, and the occasional dissolvable Melatonin in his nighttime bottle. Tylenol and cold meds are masked by delicious cherry yogurt and downed quickly with no question.
Do you have any hacks for administering meds to your Autistic kiddo?
XO The Spectrum Mom
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