Autistic teen can't take antibiotics

[BellaBaxter]

DS (15 ASD) has been prescribed antibiotics (liquid as he cannot take tablets). He absolutely cannot tolerate the taste. Years ago we sat for over an hour with an amoxicillin laced milkshake only for him to throw the whole lot up.
He can not be bribed or forced. It is literally a physiological gag reflex when he tastes it, so even if I force it in it will come straight back up. He's currently locked in the bathroom.
He has a chest infection and really needs to take this - any tips?

I dont know if it has been suggested, but you could try giving the tablet whole in yogurt. Not crushed. It will go down easy and not have a taste. Depending on the dose, it might be easier to swallow two smaller pills than one big pill.

Speak to the pharmacist but regular tablet antibiotics can be given rectally. Capsules opened up into a suppository shell and again administered rectally.

That's really clever!

I don’t have any experience @BellaBaxter but sounds like you’ve already had some ideas to try.
I just wanted to add that I had quite a strong week long prescription of co-amoxiclav a few years ago and while it did the job, it made me feel horrendously nauseous for the whole week. My mum was prescribed it more recently and had the same nausea. The tablet form is also very large (or the brand I had was anyway!)

Everyone is different but could just be something to watch out for as I’m sure it wouldn’t make your task of getting the antibiotic in any easier 💐

This thread is sort of reassuring for me. I went back to the drs as my DD was refusing to take liquid antibiotics and was made to feel like it was my fault for not trying hard enough. Also there's some great ideas here. Next time I'm going to get tablets not liquid and try crushing them.

I hope he’s doing ok OP. We had an absolute game on trying to get our autistic DS to swallow his melatonin whole - he was only 6 when he was started on that, and they kept banging on about the importance of swallowing them whole as it’s slow release. I mean how many 6 year olds can swallow tablets whole?!?

after having to crush them and sprinkle into food for a long time, we finally cracked it by halving the tablets and putting in a spoonful of weetabix made with plenty of milk so it just slid down his throat. I think the rough texture of the weetabix hid the fact there was a tablet in it, which is why the yoghurt never worked.

He has progressed to using fruit juice or fizzy pop now, which is still enough to hide the tablet in while sliding it down his throat. its difficult with him having a horrendous gag reflex and like someone said upthread, a princess and the pea ability to detect anything different in his food! He’s always known when I’ve tried hiding veg in his pasta sauce! Best of luck OP.

Yes we've been back to GP this morning and got the tablets and they are whoppers!

Thank you - yes I was dreading that there might be side effects... fingers crossed it's not too bad for him.

Yes this happened to me years ago with a doctors receptionist who said that I would just have to pin him down and administer "tough love". She stopped listening when I explained that he would literally vomit his entire stomach contents and be traumatised if I did that. Just made me feel so much worse. Glad you've found the thread helpful.

Sending solidarity and best of luck to you. (DD is Autistic, and while she can take meds, I'm currently having a nightmare trying to get her blood tests done as her veins collapse, she has a meldown and takes flight)

Anyway, I've literally just finished a week of the co amoxiclav whoppers. Happy to report that I had no side effects. Fingers crossed for your son.

Just to let you know that some tablets shouldn't be crushed as they have specific coatings on them to create a slow release or some other mechanism. But a pharmacist would be able to tell you right away if you can safely crush them

For those that have trouble swallowing pills (like me). My go to strategy is to start chewing on a small biscuit and then just before I would naturally swallow it, pop the pill into my mouth and it just seems to all be swallowed together quite easily. I then quickly drink a glass of water to make sure it washed down properly.

I thought it was all a mental problem for me, untilI found I had a golfball sized thyroid tumor that was constricting my oesophagus. So there was a physical reason..but when the tumor was removed, swallowing pills was easier, but still not straight forward. So i probably had a combo of mental and physical constraints

I’m so sorry you went through this, but gave me great comfort knowing I’m not the only one! My little one has Scarlett fever at the moment and he absolutely refuses liquid and tablet antibiotics, we’ve tried everything. Doctors can be so patronising with their suggestions as though we haven’t thought of the most obvious solutions!
I hope you found a solution for your little one :)

@HazelFred not really. We just kept going with the jam, it took ages to get each dose into him and he withdrew from even his safe foods for a while. However, he did improve and we didn't need any further treatment.

Yes, the Drs seem to think saying hide it in yogurt or chocolate spread will be ok but my son doesn't tolerate these foods even when he is well.

I'm really sorry you are experiencing this as well, it's very tough and I dread my son getting sick again. Good luck and I hope your little one is better soon