My 20 year old autistic dd refusing food and water

[Anon778833]

Please could someone help - I'm so worried. My daughter is in a provision for autistic people. She's very complex and her autism affects her mental health.

In the last week, she has started refusing food but, more worryingly, also water. Her care provision callee out paramedics on 29th who managed to get her to eat and drink again but then she slipped backwards again and it is now 36 hours since she drank anything.

The ambulance has been called again yesterday but they still haven't arrived to assess her. How long will this be allowed to go on before she's in danger. I feel so upset. I've also contacted social care because her usual social worker is on leave and has her work phone off.

I'm just worried sick.

I meant to say that her care provision are doing all they possibly can to encourage her to drink. Such as even driving to McDonald's to get her favourite treats and offering her everything under the sun.

She usually eats everything and doesn't have a restricted diet usually.

If DD hasn’t had any fluids for over 40 hours they need to take DD to A&E now. She needs fluids ASAP.

Also, if DD hasn’t eaten properly for a while you don’t want her to suddenly start eating lots all in one go without bloods and obs, she is at risk of re-feeding syndrome.

What's re-feeding syndrome?

I came up with an idea of giving her a syringe to take fluids. At the moment this seems to be working apparently but I am of course very worried about her.

Here is more information about refeeding syndrome.

Thank you. The paramedics have been out to her. She isn't dehydrated and is eating a little. I will keep an eye on this thank you.

If she didn’t drink anything for over 36 hours she will be dehydrated.

They've managed to get her to drink something using a syringe

It is unlikely DD is getting enough nutrition from fluids via the syringe given the starting point is not eating or drinking properly for a week and nothing for over 36 hours.

@Imitatingdory

It is unlikely DD is getting enough nutrition from fluids via the syringe given the starting point is not eating or drinking properly for a week and nothing for over 36 hours.

Are you trying to worry me? You're not a doctor and you haven't seen her. And yes she has consumed a lot of fluids via the syringe.

No, I am not trying to worry you, you posted asking for advice and I am giving you mine, if you don’t like it fine, makes no difference to me. I am not a doctor. Nor have I seen DD. I do however have some medical knowledge from DC with LLI. Why post asking for advice if you don’t want posters to answer? Or do you only want answers you want to hear?

No fluids for over 36 hours means DD needs medical attention. A relatively small amount of nutrition via a syringe will not negate her nutritional state from a week of little intake and 36hrs of none. If DD has indeed had “lots of fluid” quickly that in itself can be dangerous.

@Itsnotover

I meant to say that her care provision are doing all they possibly can to encourage her to drink. Such as even driving to McDonald's to get her favourite treats and offering her everything under the sun.

She usually eats everything and doesn't have a restricted diet usually.

I do hope everything is okay with your daughter and that she starts eating and drinking again soon. I'm sure you're worried sick. Though I was also pleased to read about her care provision doing so much to try and help her. I worked in care for years (which I loved!) and many of the people I was forced to work with would have not bothered doing that for the people we were helping, I love hearing positive stories like this!

Is your daughter able to say how she is feeling? Hopefully the paramedics checked everything for underlying illness etc. My kids are younger but would stop eating and drinking if they had sore throat or tonsilitis. If you gave them painkillers (and they worked and took the pain away) they would start eating and drinking again until the pain came back. Otherwise, has there been a choking incident or anything similar that would put her off? I hope she is better soon x

I would be concerned your DD had something wrong with her that was causing her to refuse food and drink. Sore throat could be one, or a UTI, or stomach ache, there's probably more...

I know my autistic children are't always very good at identifying what is wrong, and you have to kind of work it out from their behaviour or visible symptoms. My DD had tonsillitis but never complained of a sore throat, and it was only when she started vomiting and we took her to the GP that tonsillitis was spotted.

You know her best, but you may want her checking over with her GP just to be sure there's nothing underlying.