How do you deal with ASD and illness?

[StrawberryShortbread2001]

My 11yo (Y7) DD was off school yesterday and again today due to stomach pain. She is clearly in significant pain. But it is so frustrating that due to her sensory issues she cannot take any painkillers. She was in so much pain she did try to swallow a paracetamol but as usual struggled to swallow it and then when she did immediately vomited it up. If she could take painkillers I think she'd be ok to attend school.

She recently started a new school. She was there for 2 weeks and 3 days of the autumn term. Out of the 13 days she was off 4 days with a heavy cold and then 1 day due to anxiety. This term she was in every day last week but then has missed 2 days this week. I really want her to have good attendance and not miss lessons. Does anyone have any suggestions of how to deal with this?

Surely she can take dissolvable painkillers?

Is she in mainstream or specialist school?

could the pain be an anxiety symptom?

Can you work with her on taking tablets? Not when she’s ill but the rest of the time. Practice with things like millions, building up to tictacs. Use a teaspoon of icecream or yogurt with/after rather then water- it’s a more similar swallowing mechanism.

It’s so frustrating. DH shoves his fingers down his throat with the tablet, as though he’s trying to make himself sick. He swallows bigger chunks of food every day.

However make sure you aren’t missing an underlying illness that she can’t describe. Stomach ache wouldn’t usually be about painkillers I don’t think.

Hi my girls still have calpol and liquid nurofen. 16 and 8 (little one 10 months) older 2 diagnosed asd. Little one set to follow suit. We have hot vimto when full of cold as cant get lemsip into oldest. Tend to add the abidec vitamin drops to fresh orange or squash during cold season for my eldest as her diet is poor, middle one is tube fed due to arfid so her vits are all in tube milk.

Can't she take Calpol?

Liquid painkillers? Practice?

Crush and put into something else like jam or liquids.

Next time you are the doctor, get them to check the size of her larynx. Dd had her bottom jaw pulled forward and, hey presto, tablets are now easy. Not something I had ever thought of as a thing.

I’m not suggesting surgery but knowing one way or the other will make dealing with the problem easier.

Will she take the liquid with a syringe?
or does she like yoghurt? I struggled with taking tablets and used to put the tablet into the middle of a spoonful of yoghurt and swallow. Which worked every time and then eventually reduced to no yoghurt and now have no problem swallowing them. Maybe something she could try?

Would she not take the calpol six plus.
Our asd son took that until the age of about 17 until he was able to swallow tablets x
(Hugs cos it's hard when they are poorly)

No advise but total solidarity - one of mine (12yrs ND) can't swallow tablets (despite considerable practice) and the taste and texture of liquid painkillers is so unpalatable to her she won't take them. She recently had covid and did 5 days of a fever of 39-40 with no pain relief at all. I have another who (14 ASD) who tolerates liquid and another now 17 who learnt to tablets age 9 because he couldn't stomach liquid and was fed up of suffering!

No, she can't. She can't stand the taste of those or liquid medicine. It comes straight up again. We have tried! But I totally get it as I'm autistic and exactly the same.

She is in mainstream. Yes, it's possible it could be. I did wonder about period pains? Can you get cramps before your actual period starts?

Thank you for those suggestions. We'll give it a try.

Yes I think you can.

good luck finding something that works, I’m lucky DS has taken tablets from a young age as he refuses all liquid medications since he was about 4.

She can't take liquids either. Even as a baby she'd just vomit it back up. She also can't tolerate Lemsip. Hot vimto is a good idea, thanks.

Unfortunately, not.

Something like a Frube immediately after the tablet goes down? That’s the only thing I’ve found works for me - spooned yoghurt doesn’t have the same positive effect unfortunately.

It's worth trying liquid painkillers mixed in with more strong tasting things that she likes.

Orange juice possibly?

Yes, I can try that, thank you. Not sure it is anything to do with the larynx but worth looking into, thanks.

No she can't take liquid with a syringe but she does like yogurt. I will definitely try that with her, thanks.

It's awful isn't it? Luckily she's never needed antibiotics or I don't know what I'd do. She just suffers with fevers too. With the cold the first 2 days she had a fever but I have no way of bringing it down! It's good to hear 2 of yours have progressed.

I'll give that a try, thanks.

I'll give that a go, thanks

Crush it and put it in a claggy consistency item - I use peanut butter or Nutella both of which mask the taste effectively.

My DD swore she would never be able to, but taught herself within a fortnight to take pills after being diagnosed with a chronic condition that means 4 pills a day forever...so it can be done.

Thanks so much for all the ideas! Will try them all.