HELP!!!! | Autism PDD

Wray, I dont know where she gets it from.. your right it does sound like a sit com. she has done it all of her life, and at home it is funny and almost so normal that you hardly notice it. but it can be embarrassing when your at a resturant, and she starts with it and the shoveling food...and people are stareing so hard that you can feel it burning into you, you feel like yelling, "Take a picture it lasts longer". But I am not going to deny myself the ability to go out, and she needs the socialization. She isnt that bad most of the time. We have taken her out since she was a baby. we have just learned not to take her to places that are posh and grown up, but then you wouldnt take a NT kid to those places either.To heck with what other people think anyway. Good for you for not staying at home. You all deserve to go out and if that's the least you have to worry about when being out, then screw those other people.

We have a 13yr old AS son who still puts too much food in his mouth. I'm sure it a sensory thing as he has been diagnosed with lots of other sensory difficulties. He can't seem to sense how much is in his mouth. We are always saying put only that much in at a time. He sometimes has problems sensing when he is full, eating too much at one sitting. He also prefers to eat with his fingers. He finds holding the knife and fork hard, with the fine motor skills needed to do this. Seeing him cut up a piece of steak is interesting.

Vette

savannah's mom- That is funny what your last post said. I can just picture this sweet little girl shoveling food in and then all of the sudden telling mom she is the best cook, then going right back to shoveling in food, all the while saying NUM NUM NUM! Maybe she saw someone on time eat like this, it sounds like something that would be on a sit com with children in it.

Allegra- Bless your heart with what you go through at meal time. I do think you are doing the right thing by restricting what is avialable to her on her plate at any given time. I'll try to think of other ways to restrict the access without her seeing you have her whole plate of food and fighting you for it. But best of wishes in the meantime.

Sharlet has the same problem with not knowing her mouth is full. She has a very restricted diet but when she does eat she crams it in and then chokes and spits it out again. It is almost like it's anxiety driven. I have to be in controll of her plate and let her take a few things at a time, but this too is a source of anxiety for her and she spends a lot of the time reaching for the plate and protesting/crying. I dread mealtimes with her, she is so difficult. My 7 month old baby is just as indipendant at feeding as Sharlet. I let her use a spoon but she always scoops a spoonful, and then on the way to her mouth she turns the spoon upside down and it falls off and she gets very upset because it makes a mess. So most of the time I have to put pieces of food into her mouth with my fingers one at a time, while fighting her as she tries to grab the plate and cram in the food

lol

Venus

We have tryed that...Roxanne, she just doesnt get it...she gets really excited, when she sees the spoon, and will use it if we prompt her to, SOMETIMES, But I think she Likes the feel of the food to be honest...

Actually, you can take her in to a private and have her evaluated and get therapy that way. Your insurance may or may not cover this service. And even if she gets the dx, she may not qualify for OT services.

But with children I teach, the OT usually has good techniques and ideas for feeding issues. This sounds like something sensory. Maybe you could give her something to do while she eats and encourage her to slow down as she participates in something else while eating. Whatever you have her do can gradually be faded away so that she doesn't always have to have some activity while eating.

I don't know, just a thought.....

Thanks Wray

she was getting some Ot and then...we moved state and they said that she didnt have any problems, then we moved back to Illinois and the school district is evaluating her for special ed preschool. Her pediatrican has mentioned aspergers several times, but also has said it could be something else. we have a meeting with the specialists at school on the 12th of Jan, for an Iep.