Re: Re: Obsessions regarding food

[Guest guest]

I agree, I dont think for the large part, that food problems are

about 'controlling', you also need to be very wary of generalised statements

like this coming from your therapist, as this is a very judgmental attitude to

have. Food problems can be due to many things and if the problem is severe

enough, a proper functional analysis should be conducted to determine the

actual cause of the behaviour.

One point that he/she does have right I think, which is what I think they are

more referring to, is that some restrictive food behaviours do develop because

of simple reinforcement principles. I had a family who complained that all

their child ate was hot chips. I asked her what happened when he was presented

with non-preferred foods, she said " I give him hot chips because he wont eat

anything else! " , well it didnt take her long to realise what was happening

here, this child didnt take long to realise that food refusal had some highly

desirable outcomes! I guess this is what you could refer to as

being " controlling " in some way.

Xenia

ABA Therapist

Quoting Mike :

>

>

>

>

> I'd just like to agree with this.. I have lots of issues with what

>

> food I'll eat, how it has to be prepared before I'll eat it, what

>

> I'll eat it with(as in, what silverware, plates etc I'll use), etc,

>

> but the reasons are just.. I'm not sure.  Quite inexlpicable. 

>

> But 'controlling', no, I don't think so.  It's just.. the way I

>

> think.  i.e. I don't care how good that food tastes to 95% of the

>

> world, it looks funny(or the name of it sounds funny, or something

>

> else like that.. for example, 'goulash', what the heck?), and I'm

>

> not going to eat it.  :-)  As far as I know I've always been like

>

> this.

>

>

>

> I could list off all kinds of weird food quirks I have, hell there's

>

> a thread on an Aspergers board I post on that has the subject 'what

>

> are your food quirks?', and most everybody there has quite a few.  :-

>

> )

>

>

>

>

>

> >

>

> > Sorry, but no way is this a way of " controlling " . The ABA person

>

> is way

>

> > off on this.I can't help but wonder where a 'professional' comes

>

> up with

>

> > such a statement. I don't like to be controversial but this is

>

> just not

>

> > true. My son has always had food issues and he is not a controlling

>

> > person. Some foods that he will eat or has eaten in the past are

>

> > Haddock, Tilapia(fish), pears(dark colored and firm, grapes,

>

> Chicken

>

> > Noodle soup, Vegetable Alphabet soup, grapefruit, lemons, crackers

>

> with

>

> > thin spread of cream cheese, sour dough bread, lettuce with red

>

> wine

>

> > vinegar, flour tortillas with thin spread of salsa, pancakes,

>

> pizza, dry

>

> > cinnamon cereal, other dry cereals. The food issue is sensory

>

> related

>

> > not behavior. Try rubbing around their mouth if they will let you,

>

> have

>

> > them drink from a straw, blow bubbles, chew gum, raisins.those are

>

> a few

>

> > ideas.Gail

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I would have to agree with Xenia, I found that I would cater to my son and

gave him what I knew he would eat.

I then got tired of always making the same thing not only that but my

sittter told me that he would eat this or that at her house yet wouldn't

dare touch it at our house. That was when I envoked the two bite rule at

our house.

After two bites if he didn't like it then I would make him something he did

like. Well now he has gone to a rice and nugget to eating a variety of

foods. Turns out too that he loves broccilli, prok chops, ribs, meatballs,

pizza and various fruits and vegetables. Last week we introduced Beef Stew

and he loved it now if I hadn't tried him with it I would never have known

that he enjoyed it.

I highly suggest that you try this as I too was getting worried as my son

was much thinner than his peers now he is right up there with them. I also

found that since he has expanded his appetitte that we have fewer colds and

infections that before he would catch in an instant.

Trail and error seems to be the best way to get through to these children

sometimes, at least that's the way it is at my house. Hope this helps

somewhat .

in Ajax

Mom to Logan (5) HFA, PDD-NOS

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[Guest guest]

I guess you're nicer than me.....it was the " three human-sized bites " at

our house. That is, not teensy little bitsy bites that a fairy or an

elf would take, but bites a human would take. We did this with both

our kids, and our parents did the same with us......call it tradition.

Oh, and .... I swear you will have our cornbread dressing recipe

this week.

Annie, (procrastination Queen) who loves ya annie@...

--

" I've gained a few pounds around the middle. The only lower-body

garments I own that still fit me comfortably are towels. " -- Dave Barry

[Guest guest]

Believe me Annie he isn't taking any bird bites it needs to be big spoonfuls

otherwise it doesn't count. So I have had my share of stuff spit back out

at me.

As I am sure you have too over the years. But hey you grin and bear it and

hope that eventually they will come around.

By the way my heart beamed for you and your son when I heard the great news

for both of you. Take it easy and enjoy being in your robe all day there

are most days that I wish I could do that ecspecially with the frigid

weather that we have been having here in Canada.

I look forward to the recipe and understand why you haven't forwarded it

yet.

Have a great evening and I hope you get even better news in the next little

while.

in Ajax ((HUGS))

>

>Reply-To: autism-aspergers

>To: autism-aspergers

>Subject: Re: Re: Obsessions regarding food

>Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 10:34:12 -0700

>

>I guess you're nicer than me.....it was the " three human-sized bites " at

>our house. That is, not teensy little bitsy bites that a fairy or an

>elf would take, but bites a human would take. We did this with both

>our kids, and our parents did the same with us......call it tradition.

>

>Oh, and .... I swear you will have our cornbread dressing recipe

>this week.

>

>Annie, (procrastination Queen) who loves ya annie@...

>--

> " I've gained a few pounds around the middle. The only lower-body

>garments I own that still fit me comfortably are towels. " -- Dave Barry

>

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