Can I sprinkle ADHD meds in milkshake for son?

[Ricecakesaremyjam]

About to start 5mg dosage of Methylphenidate for my ASD/ADHD diagnosed little boy tomorrow - planning on hiding this is yoghurt as he is too young to swallow the capsule. If he refuses the yoghurt (PDA profile) can I sprinkle it into a milkshake??? Will this work? Thanks in advance. He so desperately needs to start taking this, I just need to work out how to get it into him if the yoghurt idea fails.

Do I open another capsule up and put it on Nutella toast?

or will that risk him having too much if he did get the odd granule from the milkshake?

Same here, autistic ds will happily take pain meds with no liquid at all. I don't get how!

No, please don't
As frustrating as it is you risk overdosing him
Trust me, I absolutely get how much of a struggle it is just to keep going each day but you don't need that on top

You've had loads of misinformation here. Check with a pharmacist but if it's so.ething like equasym then fine to open the capsule.

Do another capsule tomorrow. Just hand Nutella toast to your ds and DD as normal.

@dysonwithdeath sorry I know I’m going to sound thick here but do I put a super thin layer of Nutella on, sprinkle the capsule, then more Nutella on top to disguise it?

Nutella works best for us. We call it sprinkles - like you put on fairy cakes.

I put a blob of Nutella on the top half of the spoon. Push my little finger in to make a round dent - cos those little balls can scarper at a million miles an hour across the counter like balls of mercury. Pop it on the counter or plate.
The capsules are easy to pull apart, just go slow and gentle and tip them onto the Nutella. Pick the spoon up steadily.
I have lots of empty capsules if you want to practice opening one I'll post it to you.

I think if you've never pulled one apart before it's all quite unknown - so a photo to illustrate

@PicaK thanks for your message, that’s really kind of you, I’m ok with the pulling apart and emptying of the capsules, it’s the actually getting him to ingest them that’s the issue 😫

Yes a think layer of Nutella, then an even layer of granules, then more Nutella on top.

Or just mix it in before spreading.

I would just stick to your initial plan of putting it in the milkshake. I take it he will reliably drink all or most of that. Just make sure it is well mixed in. Mix with a small amount and then top up with the rest of the milkshake.
Even if he doesn't drink every last drop surely getting some if the meds into him.is better than the current situation.

As in pour some of the milkshake into his water bottle, sprinkle meds in, then fill up with the rest of the milkshake?
can you tell I am a novice 😂

Have you tried showing him the tablet and then count down. Have you? Bob this is a daily tablet to help you feel good. You take it every day.
You will be taking this tablet in 30.min
Then 20
10
5
2
Now.
Again for hair washing etc etc . Manage the issue sooth the emotions and then reward.

use a little milkshake, add the meds. When he’s drank that refill the cup (swish it about a bit to mix in any bits of medication stick to the sides), and do it a third time if any remnants remaining. I’ve found just getting my DS used to the idea of having the medication is half the battle. Go with adding to whatever you can get them to eat/drink then work on refining the technique to ensure a full dose is being taken in.
we had major issues with DS taking melatonin as you have to swallow those whole. We did have to start with crushing the tablets and mixing in weetabix (yoghurt never worked as he could feel the grittiness, always worked with a more textured food), then progressed to halving the tablets and mixing in with weetabix , then swallowing with milkshake or fruit juice, and slowly built up to him being able to swallow the tablets whole with water. Capsules are trickier as they are bigger and a different shape. We open his medikinet and add it to a spoon of his weetabix, but have started work on getting him to swallow the empty capsule casing. Doesn’t matter if he spits it out since he’s already had the drug part, and it’s about getting him used to the process.

Thinking long term... It might be helpful to introduce a gummy vitamin now to help in the future. Just so he's used to the idea of having something at set times of day and obviously it's no big deal of he doesn't want. He can also see you and siblings taking it to normalise the idea a bit more. It won't pay off for a while I'm sure, but once you've got him taking it in food and if it has a good effect you might be able to move on to a tablet eventually? Not helpful for you right now of course, but could be worth having it in place now and as things change it might make him more willing?

Put it in a piece of cheese.

5mg is so small that it really isn't going to make any noticeable impact

Should I be asking for 10mg then?

Try the countdown what do you have to lose. Pda is autism. ODD is adhd. But both advise countdown. And informing them of what's happening. Just try it.

The dosage will increase incrementally until you get to the optimum dose. DS on 30 mg but started far lower. He is 13 but same principle applied of starting lower then rising. When is your next titration appointment? Maybe request it to be brought forward.

He’s literally only been diagnosed and prescribed the 5mg this week. The paediatrician said to call her office next week to feedback how he’s getting on with it.

Early days. Lots of time to improve things

You should be led by the doctors treating your son. You haven't had time to see what impact the dose he is on will have. These things take time to get the dosage right.

Here’s an idea- I think it’s the Dutch that pu all sorts of things on Nutella - how about adding the granules to Nutella and the sprinkling hundreds and thousands (sprinkles) on top as a treat? Maybe even silver balls? Then the granules texture will be disguised 🥸