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Pickiness/eating difficulty resources

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Here are some helpful online resources for eating difficulties.  Most of them are about picky eating. 

http://www.disabilitysolutions.org/newsletters/files/four/4- 3.pdf - Disability Solutions issue on introducing food textures.

http://www.asperger.net/aapc_authors_maureen_flanagan_letter .htm#excerpt - excerpt from Maureen Flanagan's book "Improving Speech and Eating Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders."

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art57942.asp/zzz - Bonnie Sayer's rave review of the book "Improving Speech and Eating Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders."  Bonnie's 12 year old son is nonverbal and still drinking from a bottle, but she hopes this book will help turn things around.

http://www.thetherapyplace.net/feeding/index.htm - a short description of the Sequential Oral Sensory feeding program, and red flags for referral to a feeding program.

http://www.infantandtoddlerforum.org/objects/pdf/fact_sheet2 .3.pdf - "Understanding and Managing Extreme Food Refusal in Toddlers."

http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/Medical/mealtime.html - Here's an article from the Indiana Resource Center for Autism.  It's called "Mealtime and Children on the Autism Spectrum:  Beyond Picky, Fussy and Fads."

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/The_SPD_Companion -picky-eaters-and-resistant-eaters.html - Sensory Professing Disorder Companion, a newsletter issue devoted to picky eating, with info based on the highly-recommended book "Just Take A Bite."

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/picky-eaters.html - more from the people behind the above-mentioned SPD Companion.

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/picky-eater-tips. html - article "10 tips to help your picky eater."

http://www.netnewsdesk.com/SPDFoundation/index.cfm?PID=897 &a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;ID=3557,12725,0 - another article focusing on sensory issues.

http://www.autismsa.org.au/pdf/strategies/IS19_Eating_diffic ulties.pdf - covers the gamut of eating difficulties, including gagging, slow eaters, trouble staying at the table, etc.

http://www.theautismlife.com/what-is-for-dinner/st.johns-fee ding.team.interview/ - Autism Life.com interviews 2 SLPs and an RD who specialize in children's feeding issues, originally posted by beginner

http://www.empoweredparents.com/pickyeating/pickyeating7.htm - "Comprehensive Treatment of Feeding Aversion in Children", originally posted by beginner.  Explains the food chaining method.

http://www.autism-help.org/behavior-fussy-eaters.htm - "Fussy Eaters and Autism"

http://www.autism-help.org/behavior-eating-feeding-issues.ht m - " Eating and Feeding Issues"

http://www.nu-world.com/~jls/index_files/page0004.htm - "childhood food refusal and mealtime behavior problems using the positive behavioral support model."

http://www.autism-india.org/original_articles.html - a 3 part series "Developing Appropriate Eating Habits".  Parts 1 and 2 are more about the picky behaviors, but Part 3 covers overeating, eating too fast, etc.

http://neurodiversity.com/food.html - a collection of links related to food and autism.

http://www.med.monash.edu.au/spppm/research/devpsych/actnow/ factsheet17.html - "Dietary Issues and Autism", a fact sheet from an Australian university.

http://www.amazon.com/Cant-Eat-Wont-Difficulties-Disorders/d p/1853029742/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product  - excerpt from the book "Can't Eat, Won't Eat".  The excerpt will help you feel that you're not the only one in the world dealing with these problems.  I've heard the book has lots of practical tips.

http://www.empoweredparents.com/pickyeating/ - Series of articles, see separate post below.

http://www.gerber.com/content/usa/html/pages/pediatricbasics /pdffiles/PedBasics_100.pdf - quarterly journal from Gerber directed to pediatric professionals.  This issue deals with food jags and feeding disorders.  It includes an article by Kay Toomey who founded the SOS (Sensory Oral Sequential) Approach to Feeding.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=12 24412 - journal article about packing (keeping too much food in the mouth), probably an issue of food texture and low oral tone.

http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/204_spoonful-of-sugar-rea lly-might-help-medicine-go-down_10218605.pc  - news on genetics of rejecting bitter foods (like vegetables) and bitter medicines.  We're hardwired to dislike bitter tastes in childhood (some more than others).  This is self-protection -- most toxic substances are bitter.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/preschoolers/index.html - My Pyramid Plan for Preschoolers.  The website has a section on picky eating (not specifically for autism) and it can also be used to develop a nutrition plan.

Online videos:

http://www.autismspot.com/videos/Introducing-New-Foods-Tips- Parents - introducing new foods

http://www.autismspot.com/videos/Eating-Therapy-Tips-Parents - eating therapy tips

If any of these links are broken, let me know.

NorwayMom39799.1832986111good stuff, i wish my parents had this back when i needed it, i feel healthy, am never sick, usually have energy, and enjoy being outdoors, but i fear i did not grow up right cause i would not eat, im sooo scrawny, to this day, i eat plenty, never have i eaten as good as i do currently (aside from the gallon of Dr. Pepper I drink daily) but its serious, if your little 1 isnt eating now, when they grow up they could end up a twig like me, im embarressed to go swimming around many ppl cause i dont wanna take my shirt off, heh, i even wear jeans in the summer, never shorts hi- the first and third links are broken. thanks for posting these!

Thanks for letting me know about the broken links.  They're fixed now. 

For some reason, the forum's computers often add a blank space into html addresses.  Broken links can usually be fixed by removing blank spaces (especially ones that show up in the address field as %20).

I'm bumping this old topic since picky eating has been mentioned frequently on Stickboy's sensory topic.

The Obscure “Eating” Disorders
An Eight Part Series

Steps to Eating Hierarchy*

1. Visually tolerating the food

2. Interacting with the food without actually touching it (vestibular; kinesthetic and proprioceptive systems)

3. Smelling

4. Touching

5. Tasting and then, finally

6. Eating

* In order of most basic to most difficult.

Source:  http://www.gerber.com/content/usa/html/pages/pediatricbasics /pdffiles/PedBasics_100.pdf

I ran across this blog today, and thought I'd use it to bump this old topic.

It's a short, funny blog about a kid with autim's answer to "If I ruled the world, there would be no...":

http://aroomofmamasown.com/2009/05/if-my-son-ruled-the-world /

It must be so frustrating when your kid won't eat!  I don't knwo if any of you have thought about this analogy before, but maybe keeping it in mind will help.  When I am expected to eating something that i "don't like," it is essentially like eating a non-food.  Take your shoe off and put it on your plate.  Ready?  That'd dinner.  Go.  What, not interested?  Too bad, that's your only option. 

My parents realized at some point that I wasn't just stubborn, and that I really COULDN'T eat the foods.  I've been seeing a nutritionist for the past year or so, and that has really helped because she makes sure that I get what I need with the foods I am able to eat. 

And in case anyone is wondering, it has gotten better very slowly over the years.  At the worst, I would only eat six things (including drinks).  Now, I still would prefer to live off those few things, but I can tolerate more foods.  Nowhere near what most people eat, but better.

Im a bit different in this situation. I have never been a picky eater. I try all kinda fo new food. Even stuff like sushi.
 
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