Re: Does anyone else have a child with major food issues?

January 19, 2006

In a message dated 1/19/2006 1:51:17 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

tanisbianca@... writes:

I am wondering if any of you have had similar issues and how you

handle them. Are there any therapies, books or anything like that

anyone has had success with? How have your kids with sensory issues

done in the cafeteria setting? We are meeting with a psychologist on

Friday that sepcializes in young children w/as, so I am hoping that

she may have some ideas for us as well.

When my son was younger his diet consisted of waffels and mac and cheese

only he was also like your son could make himself vomit any time actually I

think it was smells that set him off we could never eat out b/c he would vomit

if

he smelled anything that he felt was offensive. Now he is 15 6 ft tall and

weighs about 170lbs he eats shrimp salmon, steak, chicken cooked a certain way

and still loves pasta but my horrible eater has turned into still a very

picky sort of eater but eats a variety of foods as long as they are cooked a

certain way with a certain sauce he still will not eat something if it is not

made exactly like he likes it, occasioanly he does vomit but only if it is a

very strong smell. Remember at four he was just like your son minus the rod in

his back. And too me your son is eating a variety of proteins and that should

hold him. I never forced my son to eat, yes he was thin but he caught up with

his peers as he got older. Hope this helps

January 19, 2006

Raising hands...we have major food/diet issues here. I think your son eats

more than mine. This is what mine eats.

Cheerios

Pretzels

Ritz Bits

Yogurt

Bacon

Sometimes will eat Peanut butter crackers, Animal crackers or grahm

crackers...but it fluctuates.

He only drinks water, no juice or milk.

January 19, 2006

In a message dated 1/19/2006 4:40:23 PM Eastern Standard Time,

jenn.pike@... writes:

My 13-year-old (asperger's) hates potatoes to the point where he can make

himself gag and throw up if we try to get him to eat them. We found that

out the hard way when he was 6. He actually has a very limited diet too.

If he had his way, he'd eat nothing but cereal and beef sticks. He does TRY

foods now (but never potatoes) so he's getting better.

My 15 year old (Asperger's) has a limited diet also, but not as limited as

his younger brother. He eats no meat at all. Tried turkey two Thanksgivings

ago and gagged. He eats Pizza, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, buttered

pasta, mozzarella sticks, peanut butter and jelly, pretzels, carrots, poptarts,

cold cereal and drinks milk and lots of soda (I know not good.) Pam

January 19, 2006

Hi Bianca-

My 6 year old son with AS is a very picky eater! I am trying the gluten

free, casein free diet after learning that a food sensitivity to wheat and milk

can actually cause a kid to crave those very same foods they have a sensitivity

to. The theory is that my son's dwindling food repetoire could be the reason

he is so resistive to food. So far, he has made the switch fairly easily but

has yet to eat a real meal besides breakfast (which is mostly carbs-- his

favorite!)

Connor also had a lot of smell and tactile issues-- he would gag over smells

and even the sight of certain foods. He would even be able to smell salad!

He could not be in a room with a rotisserie chicken for the look of the

carcass. Well, the gagging subsided as he gained more control over what he knew

he

would allow in his own mouth but the smells were still an issue, worse when he

was tired. I do have to say, he hasn't had smell problems since starting the

gfcf diet. He even tolerates the smell of ketchup on the plate next to him.

Not sure if it's an answer for you but it seems to be making a difference

with us. We were lucky that Connor always thrived but we were so worried his

brain was starving and absolutely sick of the blame my in-laws gave us about his

terrible diet (they attributed it to me not making regular sit down meals and

insisting everyone eat together or go to bed hungry)-- the in-laws have laid

off a bit.

Connor is still a resistive eater but seems to be having some improvement.

We are seeing a holistic health center nearby but we had been so desperate we

had considered flying out to Ayers Sensory Clinic in CA, The Options

Institute for Austism or any food clinic that would evaluate him. We never

found

an option and then we found the wellness center.

Good luck-- Alison

Alison Milligan

Pampered Chef Kitchen Consultant

631-757-1107

www.pamperedchef.biz/alipchef

January 19, 2006

In 2nd grade the special ed teacher worked with at lunch and

broke him of the same food daily habit- it wasnt always fun to watch-

so I didnt - but the school helped alot with it. He used to eat the

same pizza every day that I would bring in and the school would cook-

and one day - we all just said- we are going to try something new

WITH the pizza. We worked in baby steps- but - man oh man- he eats

different foods at lunch daily- and even lets me make a pb sandwich

for him on Thursdays because he really doesnt like grilled cheese.

had HUGE food issues- and still is pretty self restricted-

but as people work with him- he very very very slowly is moving

forward.

Good luck.

>

> In a message dated 1/19/2006 1:51:17 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> tanisbianca@y... writes:

>

> I am wondering if any of you have had similar issues and how you

> handle them. Are there any therapies, books or anything like that

> anyone has had success with? How have your kids with sensory

issues

> done in the cafeteria setting? We are meeting with a psychologist

on

> Friday that sepcializes in young children w/as, so I am hoping

that

> she may have some ideas for us as well.

>

> When my son was younger his diet consisted of waffels and mac and

cheese

> only he was also like your son could make himself vomit any time

actually I

> think it was smells that set him off we could never eat out b/c

he would vomit if

> he smelled anything that he felt was offensive. Now he is 15 6 ft

tall and

> weighs about 170lbs he eats shrimp salmon, steak, chicken cooked

a certain way

> and still loves pasta but my horrible eater has turned into still

a very

> picky sort of eater but eats a variety of foods as long as they

are cooked a

> certain way with a certain sauce he still will not eat something

if it is not

> made exactly like he likes it, occasioanly he does vomit but only

if it is a

> very strong smell. Remember at four he was just like your son

minus the rod in

> his back. And too me your son is eating a variety of proteins and

that should

> hold him. I never forced my son to eat, yes he was thin but he

caught up with

> his peers as he got older. Hope this helps

>

January 19, 2006

My 2-year-old (autistic) drinks milk, but won't eat food most days. When he

does eat, it's fruit. He won't touch ice cream (maybe he was switched at

birth? LOL) or most other foods.

My 13-year-old (asperger's) hates potatoes to the point where he can make

himself gag and throw up if we try to get him to eat them. We found that

out the hard way when he was 6. He actually has a very limited diet too.

If he had his way, he'd eat nothing but cereal and beef sticks. He does TRY

foods now (but never potatoes) so he's getting better.

-Jenn

http://www.pikesporch.com <http://www.pikesporch.com/>

Hi,

My 4 year old son w/AS and lots of sensory issues eats virtually

nothing. The food items that he does eat include pancakes,waffles,

mac n cheese (only the kraft scooby doo kind), apples, oranges,

chicken nuggets and fries, popsicles, and those fruit snack things

that come in different characters. He is very specific about

everything and if anyhting is even slightly different, he will gag.

This morning I made him waffles and basically sat there and prompted

him to eat each bite. For some reason he didn't like them this

morning, and he actually made himself throw up. Right after he

vomited, he asked if he could have a fruit snack. I can't believe

that the sensory stuff is so strong he can make himself vomit at

will. I don't what to do. I have to basically force him to eat

because he is very skinny and has a metal rod in his back, and if he

gets too thin we have to worry about skin breakdown on his back.

Luckily he takes a vitamin daily, but he refuses pediasure.

_____

January 19, 2006

Sorry you are having a time with eating issues. My 3 yr old AS daughter was that

way when she drank to many liquids she wouldn't eat. I do know if I change

brands of her foods she will refuse to eat them. She can tell one brand from

another.

As far as the school goes I would keep pushing for what you need. Sometimes if

you give up on something easily its easier for them. I don't think he can be

desensitized as easily as they think.

Good luck,

Tammie

( ) Does anyone else have a child with major food

issues?