Like autism isnt hard enough to deal with, then u get people like that to deal with.
Keep your chin up cause you know your son best!
Is there an O/T you consult with regarding these issues?
Kerri
You might want to post this question in the Parents section. It'll get more attention there, and the question doesn't pertain strictly to the Diet section of the forum.
Do you think this is a sensory-seeking behavior? Some kids with oral hyposensitivity crave oral stimulation, so I'm thinking that could set the stage for a food obsession. Here are the symptoms of oral hyposensitivity:
HYPOSENSITIVITY TO ORAL INPUT (under-registers)
__ may lick, taste, or chew on inedible objects
__ prefers foods with intense flavor; i.e., excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty
__ excessive drooling past the teething stage
__ frequently chews on hair, shirt, or fingers
__ constantly putting objects in mouth past the toddler years
__ acts as if all foods taste the same
__ can never get enough condiments or seasonings on his/her food
__ loves vibrating toothbrushes and even trips to the dentist
Good luck with everything.
I think only the moderators can move a topic, so I'd just re-post it (copy and paste).
In the meantime, let me see if I understand the situation correctly. Your 3 year old goes to pre-school/daycare and insists on eating every morsel on his plate. Sometimes the teachers try to take his plate before he's done (possibly because he eats slower than average), and he gets upset. They take this as a sign that you don't feed him properly, for example they think that if you fed him a healthy breakfast, he wouldn't be so desperate for food at lunch.
If I've understood this correctly, it seems like a very unfair assumption on the part of the teachers.
If the problem is slow eating, they can find a way to help with that.
If the problem is being rigid about finishing his plate, a social story might help, so he knows what to expect and what's expected of him during the meal. Make it explicit that if he leaves food on his plate, that's okay.
Good luck with everything.
Okay, now I understand a little better. You're not following a strict GFCF diet, but try to limit those foods because of constipation and sluggish behavior. It seems like the teachers feel sorry for him about that.
Is he seeking out milk and wheat products while at home, or is the obsession mostly something that happens at school?
Why do you think he's compulsive about cleaning his plate? Is it mostly when his plate contains dairy and wheat products, or is that a separate issue?
I think it's absurd that the teachers think he should be allowed to eat whenever he wants to. If nothing else, it's bad for children's teeth to constantly be exposed to food and drink. Even if they're healthy choices, starches that break down to sugars in the mouth, food remnants, acids in juice/fruit are hard on teeth.
They've heard me tell them about his healthy brekkie but their theory is that children be allowed to free feed throughout the day with no set eating times. With the need for some degree of structure for my boy this is insane!