Same problem here with my son.I've said the same thing John.
***Update on last post***
Ok, so my ASD son doesn't really like to eat (I know not many are surprised by that
So, heres the question. Do I tell the OT to back off the food therapy for a while? I believe in table eating, but at this point I let him eat at the couch just to get it in him
Any suggestions woul be appreciated.
Oh aren't food issues a real pain??? My son worked with an OT for about a year on feeding issues and I think it helped some but forcing him to eat just didn't seem to be helping after a while. I think talking to my son's OT and getting ideas on things helped me in the end more than her actually feeding him. My son is 2.5 yrs. and he will eat only yogurt, baby food, Cheerios, goldfish, anything crunchy basically, pancakes and Taquitos from Whataburger. Lord forbid milk and Cheerios together! He has a lot of texture issues still, but he is improving gradually.
I say feed him what he will eat, if it is in front of TV for a week or so, do it to desensitize him from the "evil table" eating! Then maybe gradually move him back to the table to try to eat. My son eats well with a small TV in the kitchen with his favorite shows on and coloring pictures- that is the only way he will eat. Try different things- the important thing is that he eats- right? Doesn't matter where right now. Good luck- I know the feeding isses are frustrating!
please , I always joke telling people the state is going to take my ds away, because he is so skinny and eats nothing.We have major food issues here too. I'm off to see a pediatric dietician this week, so I'll report back if she has some hints!
We are down to eating, fries, toast, crackers and a tiny amount of yogurt. Thats it.
Ah, food issues....very big deal in our house. I have a real dinner table, a snack table (kid-sized), a bar and a picnic table outside. We rotate eating meals in all of these places. Amazingly, he eats the best away from the actual dinner table.
I would suggest that your food therapy sessions do not occur in your house. My son's therapy took place in a different location altogether and I think that helped.
Unfortunately, I don't think we'll ever have a normal meal at the dinner table, but because he is so skinny, I don't care anymore where he eats as long as he does eat!
amah,
It seems like yuo are writing about my son! Sounds familiar eating only crunchy items and milk. He won't eat noodles, eggs, rice, Jello, pudding, ice cream, soups, milk w/cereal, etc., etc. We try to offer new foods all the time- and it usually goes on the floor. One day we ordered Chinese and he ran up to my plate and grabbed fried rice and ate it! He even came back for more- we were shocked. We tried it again about 20 times and he never ate it again- strange. It HAS to be his idea or no go. Aren't food issues fun??? I find it the most challenging thing about having an autistic child so far.
I have to say, I am so glad to not be alone in this. I guess I just keep grasping at a little "normalcy"? I so desperately want for my family to eat together. Not just for the family, but for my kids. I heard some statistic recently that said that the one thing that over 80% of National Merit scholars had in common was eating together at the table as a family more that 3 mights a week. I probably just need to let it go for now.
I admit I have one of those personalities that I fixate on controlling the small stuff when I feel that the bigger picture is out of control. I second the idea of backing off of table eating. I had a client once who would only eat bacon and cool ranch doritos. when we did trading at the table (one bite of new food for one chip" after about two weeks he had lost seven pounds and fought sitting at the table with a vengence. what mom used to do was make a previously preffered food (something he liked way back when) and just leave it on the table. usually he would snag it and take it somewhere else to eat, but sometimes he would stay at the table. also, a PECS choice board per meal has worked well for me in the past. breakfast foods that are available that day, then lunch etc. some kids do well with choice, and that way you can offer those foods you are okay with your child eating.
I would try and do the therapy away from the main table if that is where you want him to eat. Maybe they could do it at a play table or a card table. Also, even NT kids sometimes don't like to try new foods. I had a book, that is now out of print about getting you kids to try new foods. Sometimes you have to offer it to them up to 10 x before they will even try it, and then again they may not try in again or say they like it one day and not the next.
If you child will allow you to put the food on his plate or even on another plate near him, keep offering different foods everyday, over and over. Hopefully eventually he will try it. He may only eat it once, but he will come back to it again.
amah, thank you. I think that the new food away from the table is a better idea. I might talk more about it with the ot as well.We have major good issues too. My son will only eat dry, crunchy food (i.e. cereal, pretzels, chips) and drinks milk and water. We have been working with an OT to desensitize him to the textures - he also has tactile issues. However, one thing I have learned is that most of the therapists tell you to work on it at mealtime, when they are hungry etc. That definitely does not work with my son. When he's really hungry he gets defensive to anything new immediately. When we tried to work on it at the table all that happened was he started to hate sitting at the table at all. Now we work on it at informal snacktimes, on the deck, in different settings. And, recently he started to eat ice cream - which he initiated. So, we're focusing on having the OT continue the sensory play including play with food and we're continuing to expose and offer him new food but without any expectation that he has to try it. It seems the more pressure we try, the more he resists and when we back off he makes more progress.
I'm having problems too. The Dr. called my and dd is anemic, and now we have to do more blood work!!! She won't even eat ice cream anymore!!! She used to be such a good eater too. Geez it just one thing after another.As for veggies and fruits...we freeze them. He will eat anything that is frozen as he loves that feeling in his mouth. Peas, corn, small banana pieces, strawberries and even asparagus. He eats all of these things, just straight from the freezer! It completely changes the texture of the food. Perhaps this could help some of you who are veggie/fruit challenged.
Yepper -- are his TEETH okay, crunching all that icy stuff???
Great strategy, though!
My son is veggie challanged. he will try them and then spit them out.Has anyone had any luck with those Pediasure drinks? My dd is actually anemic now and I'm giving her iron drops but she still won't eat hardly anything.
At TWO, before there was any way in HE** I was going to give a kid ice, he would sneak ice cubes from my glass and crunch them up. I myself have got cracks all through my teeth (I grind a lot), but his teeth so far are like little ROCKS, fortunately. And yes, Ido keep my water or coke away from him as much as possible, and minimize the number cubes I give him. He is 4.5, and fortuantely has never choked. But he will ask for ice, even in his milk!
We do the generic Pediasure thing as well. We use the Parent's Choice brand from Walmart, or the generic brand at any grocery store- it is all the same stuff. My son does not get enough nutrients or calories from his diet, and the pediatrician said that with drinking one can of Pediasure a day he doesn't need a multivitamin suppliment.
I mix 1/4 can Pediasure (generic brands) vanilla flavored with my son's sippy cups of milk several times a day to be sure he gets a full can. He loves the vanilla, won't even try chocolate or strawberry- and he won't drink the milk/pediasure combination cold- has to have it warm.
He won't even drink milk by itself any more- it has to have Pediasure in it or he throws the cup on the floor like it is disgusting! So I say do whatever works- sure it may sound rotten to others, but as long as my son is healthy and growing I don't care. He is 29 months, weighs 35 pounds and is 40 inches tall- so I think it is working!!!!
Abbey: Never tried those drinks. Son has an aversion to thick liquids! Therefore smoothies are not an option. Kathy: I can relate. I had a sniffer and a licker. He rarely does that now. *****Update***** The OT has been on vacation since I wrote this. I used some of your tips. I am happy to report that we are back to eating and occasionally back at the table. I put his food on the table and st the chair with the booster on it close by and he usually will climb up there (I don't buckle) and eat a little and then get down and craze. It is fine with me. He will eat the gerber weenies (now with veggies hidden in them
Still no real fruit or veggies, but I will take it. Scary! We have major food issues here too. I'm off to see a pediatric dietician this week, so I'll report back if she has some hints! We are down to eating, fries, toast, crackers and a tiny amount of yogurt. Thats it. [/QUOTE] You think that's bad? My 8 y/o autistic son has live on Chocolate pudding, chocolate milk, and smooth yogurt. (like trix or whips or thick and creamy) That is absolutly all that he eats. For breakfast he eats two pudding cups, 1 trix yogurt, and a cup of chocolate milk. same with lunch and dinner. during the school year he gets an extra choclate milk at 9 then one at lunch (11) then one at 1 then he comes home at 3. He's been in therapy after therapy since he was 16 months old. we are now currently working on getting into the Center for Therapy but this dang HMO is getting in the way. Currently he has been out of therapy since early May when Willis Knighten south gave up on him. I'd love to hear of anyone else who is dealing with this situation or has worked out of it. If my child ate fries toast and crakers I'd be THRILLED!!! Words would not explain it.
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