crushing up pills

elsien

No, he's too young. You're making the decisions as his parent in his best interests, as with all other parenting decisions to keep your children safe.
The Mental Capacity Act kicks in at 16. Before that it's down to Gillick competency.

suzyjane

A pharmacist told me that if a tablet was scored down the middle then it was ok to crush. If there’s no scoring then it has a coating on it for slow release so must not be crushed.

Tigsteroonie

Plenty of autistic children are prescribed melatonin to help restore sensible sleeping patterns, we are lucky to not have to use it.

I'd suggest asking on an autism forum or FB group (personally I recommend the closed group "Autism Parents Chat" )

Incidentally, we use the "Apex-Carex Healthcare Pill Pulverizer" to crush vitamin tablets for our son. He won't eat the chewies, and the liquids taste foul. But he doesn't mind them being left gritty, we add the crushed tablet to his weetabix.

calleyw

Mojisola wrote: »

I regularly buy it from a reputable online company.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jan/03/illegal-sale-melatonin-ebay


A quote from the article:


However, while it’s illegal to sell it or distribute it here, it’s not illegal to import it for personal use from countries where it is freely available.


As I said its illegal over the counter and only can be got over the counter with a prescription from a dr in the uk. You must be buying mail order from a company that is not within the uk.


Yours


Calley x

Mojisola

calleyw wrote: »

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jan/03/illegal-sale-melatonin-ebay

A quote from the article:

However, while it’s illegal to sell it or distribute it here, it’s not illegal to import it for personal use from countries where it is freely available.

As I said its illegal over the counter and only can be got over the counter with a prescription from a dr in the uk. You must be buying mail order from a company that is not within the uk.
x

Your post made it as if it wasn't available in the UK - I was just pointing out that we can buy it without a prescription.

Manxman_in_exile

As others have advised, ask your pharmacist for advice.


I can remember when I was a child (55years ago?) my mother would crush some tablets between two table spoons.

building_with_lego

iammumtoone wrote: »

Thats fine


You are right I would never give it to him without him knowing. He has sensory issues he can't swallow tablets or abide the taste of strong tasting medicines.


He would know whats in the yogurt or whatever I put it in. Even if I didn't tell him he would know by the slight change in taste/texture. Between us we normally find a way to disguise the taste of liquid medicines enough so he can swallow it, I work with him to find out what suits him.


You are right though, now you mention it when I was speaking to the doctor about how to get him to take it, they didn't mention your point.

Does he like sweets? I taught my two to "take" sweets, starting with Nerds, then Tictacs, and eventually small jelly beans. My daughter can's take tablets, even with the tictac 'lesson', but my youngest is capable of taking tablets if needed.

Just wondering if you could get your son to take a small sweet before and after the melatonin, id it meant he could take it.

Nicki

I would agree that it is worth teaching him to take them though I understood the difficulty. My DD has autism and would not take any medication either in liquid or tablet form. We struggled on trying to hide it in food for years and then suddenly one day when she was 10 she had a seizure and then several more in the days following and it was critical that she took anti epileptic medicine at the full dose and every day. Came completoit of the blue with no warning.

We had to persevere using a whole range of tips and tricks from pharmacists and nurses to try to get it into her. It took 50 days and 50 doses spat across the room and then one day she took the tablets and it’s been easy ever since (8 years on and she takes anything in tablet form)

What worked for us ultimately was discovered by complete accident! We accidentally gave her the reward sweet before the tablet and when I noticed I slipped the tablet in the side of her mouth as she ate the chocolate button - she decided not to spit the sweet out :lol

Artytarty

Mortar and pestle works well.

GlasweJen

Melatonin comes in capsules as well as tablets. A capsule can be opened and stirred through. Make sure you're not opening the MR version as that's supposed to be longer acting and has a coating to help with that.