Now, as you know, children on the spectrum can be very picky eaters, Austin is one of them. He used to eat everything, and I do mean, EVERYTHING! At 18 months of age, his eating habits changed drastically. He would only eat rice and pasta for the longest time. I took him to the doctor (pre-diagnosis) and his advice was to "make it interesting" for him to eat. Smiley face pancakes, star shaped sandwiches, etc., you get the picture. So, I tried, no luck. I started to give him multi-vitamins, he rejected those too. He also liked milk and would eat yogurt but that was about it. (I used to take my own snack to playgroup, yogurt, not that he would sit long enough to eat it. Believe it or not, I did not find this strange back then.) His limited diet was both frustrating and scary all at the same time. (Austin has always been a big guy, 10 lbs 14 oz at birth and now at 5, just shy of 4 feet and 50 lbs, long and lean.)
I do have some encouraging news for all of you out there dealing with this predicament, Austin is eating and trying more foods than ever! YAY! He LOVES strawberries (the new addition to his diet), apples, bananas and blackberries. I also give him V8 Fusion to drink, Peach & Mango is his favourite (veggies disguised very well), kudos for inventing that beverage! :) He also likes chicken nuggets, sheppard's pie, brown rice and of course, pasta. Now, it may not seem like a lot of changes but trust me, it is!
I have recently found a way to get him to try pretty much anything. One night I told him he must have spaghetti with sauce, he refused. I told him he must try just one bite, he did. The next time I made it he tried two bites. This went on until we got to six bites in one sitting. Then one night, he did not want to try it at all (he was very tired and just kind of cranky) so he said "Feed me like a baby!", so I did. He ate the ENTIRE bowl of spaghetti with sauce. I got him to eat tuna casserole the same way, and samples of other things too! I intend to start trying mash potatoes and roast again (his favourite as an infant) and hopefully we can get him back on track, eventually (must be realistic, right?). I wanted to share my kind of "off the wall" method with all of you as strange as it might seem, it works. :) Oh yes, a DQ cake in the freezer works as a good incentive for dessert also, periodically mind you ... ;)
6 comments:
I'm glad he's starting to try new things! It's an uphill battle with most kids, but for those with sensory issues it's even more challenging. The smells and textures are all so much more pronounced for them. It takes a lot of courage for your sweet boy to try new things, I'm sure, and a lot of patience from you. Way to go!
Hi Maven, me too! :) Yes, I can only imagine. I know you know about things like that ... you do such a great job dealing with everything. *HUG*
Thanks honey! I am just happy to see him eating ... period! ;) Thanks again hon! :)
Glad we're not the only ones with this problem! My son will only regularly eat chicken nuggets & french fries, rice with butter and salt, lipton chicken noodle soup, plain spaghetti with butter and salt, and ice cream with chocolate topping. 2 years of snack therapy with an OT, to integrate fruits and vegetables, when the services stopped so did the regular eating of those foods.
Hi Sarah. *HUG* I feel your pain! So sorry. I know it is really hard. This is almost the same diet my son ate for over 3 years!
I am so sorry to hear that he will not eat the fruits and vegetables you worked so hard to get him to eat. Will he eat popsicles? You could try and make the V8 Fusion juice into popsicles and see if he eats it that way.
Austin's appetite is picking up because he is growing. He ate 3/4 of a PB & J sandwich the other night because he is so hungry. A first in a long, long time! See there is hope! :)
Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with Sarah. I would be happy to answer any question you have. All the best! :) Heather
I love the popsicle idea, I never thought of that, and he loves frozen juice! Thank you.
My diagnosed son is 8 now, and I also have a 5 year old and he too is typical, thank God. I question both my sons future everyday, will my younger son look out for his brother, if something ever happen to me? It's a scary reality, I wish I could wake up from. Your sons progress gives me hope though, it's so nice to have a site like this!! Great Job!
You're welcome! A friend told me about a spectrum child that would eat anything in popsicle form, even broccoli I believe. I hope it works for you! :)
I feel the same way you do. *HUGS*! I know it is scary and very hard since we want to protect our children from everything. I wish you and your family all the best!
Thank you so much! It means a lot to me that this site gives you hope and you enjoy it. You are the reason I sit and blog about my experiences with Austin. If it will help even just one person, I have accomplished what I set out to do. Thanks Sarah! *HUG* and have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! :)
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