I'm a mom of 4 children on the autism spectrum. My 3rd youngest used a pacifier at bedtime until 5 or 6 yrs old. She even knew it wasn't appropriate. She would hide it if her friends were over so they wouldn't find it and tease her. She continued to use a sippy cup every morning with warm chocolate milk until 8 or 9. What's funny now is that she's almost 14 and recently asked for a sippy cup and so did her 9 yr old sister, so I bought a 2pk for them for...warm chocolate milk lol! But her 14 yr old girlfriend was over for a sleep over (not autistic) and thought it was so cool that I had to get her a sippy cup as well. Apparently, my daughter has started a trend and all her friends have been buying sippy cups! Go figure. :-)

Thank you all for your advice. I think I will definitely pick my battles & let some things go until he feels secure enough to let them go. He is a wonderful child and there are enough bigger problems to deal with to worry anymore right now. Thanks again!

I completely understand what you are saying. My son will be 6 in June and he still needs his pacifier at night and his bottle with milk. We refuse to give them to him during the day and he had a rough couple of days at the beginning but he adjusted. We asked his OT, his ABA consultant and they told us is to go cold turkey and only when we are ready. I don't know when we will be ready, both my husband and I are exhausted by bed time, he works long days to make up for the income I lost so I can stay home with him and his younger 3 year old sister. We've tried cutting it, giving him milk earlier and he will have a complete meltdown without.Hugs to you, our family motto is pick your battles and this one is just not one we are ready to take on.

I understand the concern about the pacifier and choc milk for his teeth. I do not have any personal experience, so take my suggestions as possible ideas only. When my son was 2, I cut the tip off the pacifier. He did not like the feeling and he gave it up. That may or may not work for your 6 year old. You may try a mouth guard instead of the pacifier if your grandson like to be able to bite instead of suck. A mouth guard will not have negative effects on his teeth. Also, what about very gradually watering down the chocolate milk. If you do if gradually, you can eventually have his just drinking water.

We started by cutting the tip off of the paci so it wasn't so fun to suck.