VERY picky eater

[notthomasagain]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and would be very interested to hear your views on this if you have/are dealing with something similar. My gorgeous, Thomas-obssessed 5 year old son with autism is SUCH a fussy eater it is driving me mad When he was a baby he would eat most things put in front of him, but has steadily become more and more fussy and has a penchant for crispy textured and dry foodstuffs, ie, crackers (no topping), cereal (no milk), crisps etc. He eats the following things: brown bread, crackers, raw carrots, apples, corn on the cob, watermelon, peas, ready salted crisps, plain pasta, homemade chicken nuggets, KFC (yes, would live on it if I allowed him to ), M&S nice rice and chicken, Frosties (no milk), toasted seeds (sesame etc) toast and jam, chips and chocolate of course and that's about it. I have just managed to get him to drink strawberry milkshake (have to hide other drinks first). He did used to eat a few other things, but has decided that he doesn't want them too now. I know some people will be well, actually that's not bad, but it really is not much of a variety at all and he resolutely refuses to try anything new. The minute he gets a sniff of what's coming his way it is "yuk, that's s'gusting"... I've tried to just put new things on the edge of his plate and ignore it and see what he does (ends up on table or floor) and I've put things in separate bowls near to him (ignores it). Does anyone have any advice please?! Just a point to note - he is growing well and is very rarely ill, but that doesn't make the situation any less frustrating...dinner time is most definitely the most difficult and stressful and of course, we all know how lovely a child is (esp. with autism) when they are hungry... Many thanks. Tina

[Janice Adamson]

I know this can be frustrating... I also have children with SPD's and have difficulties with textures, smells, what the food looks like, etc., however if they do not eat what I've made for supper, they are offered healthy choices. Keep in mind if someone put something in front of you that you didn't like... you wouldn't be forced to eat it. So if my children want cereal vs Christmas dinner... then so be it. They each have their own regimented menu and many times I have to make seperate suppers for each. People who do not understand SPD's think it is about being stubborn - but I also have SPD's and will actually gag at the thought of some textures or smells of dips, or if something doesn't look appetizing.(Other things related are textures of clothes, tags, smells and sounds to name a few.) I've slowly gone on to try new things as have my children on occassion. Just ask yourself if it's worth the battle, the mess and the over-turned tables... if their choice ( but not what you'd want them to eat) is still a healthy one. For some time I had difficulties with this as well, and also experienced getting food thrown at me, tables overturned and the meltdowns which ensued. So now even if they are going to a birthday party, relatives or friends home I ask what will be served. If it is something I know they don't like, I make the allocations and send them with something I know they will eat. They're not spoiled... they have co-morbid disorders. It would be like punishing someone with OCD for washing and rewashing their hands or doing something repetative. It is not behaviour because of behaviour, but behavior due to the disorder. I still try to integrate new things into their diets, but have learned not to force the issue.

[Frances Bredenkamp]

Hi there

My son gags at the smell, sight, or thought of banana!

All other summer fruits are out as well, except for watermelon. It clearly has something to do with the texture and strong smell, as watermelon is very neutral. He will however drink fruit juice and funny enough, if I should make a kind of "pulp", Purity-like "pulp" and chill it a bit, he'll eat it straight away.

I came across this idea by accident... we were in a fast-foods restaurant drinking mango juice that was most likely made without adding extra water, but put wholly into a blender. My straw was standing upright in the juice! My son couldn't stop drinking the stuff and I had to order another jumbo glass for him which he made his "dinner"!

No luck with banana, or strawberry though!

Hope the idea works for you too.

O yea... You can also try making fresh ice-lollies with pure fruit juice. They usually love it.

(10-02-2010 02:40 AM)notthomasagain Wrote:  Hi everyone, I'm new here and would be very interested to hear your views on this if you have/are dealing with something similar. My gorgeous, Thomas-obssessed 5 year old son with autism is SUCH a fussy eater it is driving me mad When he was a baby he would eat most things put in front of him, but has steadily become more and more fussy and has a penchant for crispy textured and dry foodstuffs, ie, crackers (no topping), cereal (no milk), crisps etc. He eats the following things: brown bread, crackers, raw carrots, apples, corn on the cob, watermelon, peas, ready salted crisps, plain pasta, homemade chicken nuggets, KFC (yes, would live on it if I allowed him to ), M&S nice rice and chicken, Frosties (no milk), toasted seeds (sesame etc) toast and jam, chips and chocolate of course and that's about it. I have just managed to get him to drink strawberry milkshake (have to hide other drinks first). He did used to eat a few other things, but has decided that he doesn't want them too now. I know some people will be well, actually that's not bad, but it really is not much of a variety at all and he resolutely refuses to try anything new. The minute he gets a sniff of what's coming his way it is "yuk, that's s'gusting"... I've tried to just put new things on the edge of his plate and ignore it and see what he does (ends up on table or floor) and I've put things in separate bowls near to him (ignores it). Does anyone have any advice please?! Just a point to note - he is growing well and is very rarely ill, but that doesn't make the situation any less frustrating...dinner time is most definitely the most difficult and stressful and of course, we all know how lovely a child is (esp. with autism) when they are hungry... Many thanks. Tina

[Guest]

i am afaid i dont have much advice, my son is nearly 4, all he is it chips, potato scone (scottish food) and 2 types of cereal bar. his chips have to be a certain make as well so i know how you are feeling. he gags if i try him with something different and wont sit next to you if you are eating something he doesnt like smell of. it is very frustrating and worrying as not sure if this is ok, but the doctors say he is healthy and good weight etc. but not to force food on him incase it puts him off. so we just need to wait until he is ready. i know i was not much help but just wanted to let you know your not alone. the same as you my son would eat most things as a baby, but after he was about 18 months it got less and less and now those 4 things. xx

[Frances Bredenkamp]

We have a kind of crisp called "Nachos grande". Apparently if your child eats this, he gets in most of what is necessary for being healthy. It is a healthy kind of corn crisp, almost like Big Corn Bites... We even get it these days at our biger Chemist.

(24-02-2010 05:31 PM)Guest Wrote:  i am afaid i dont have much advice, my son is nearly 4, all he is it chips, potato scone (scottish food) and 2 types of cereal bar. his chips have to be a certain make as well so i know how you are feeling. he gags if i try him with something different and wont sit next to you if you are eating something he doesnt like smell of. it is very frustrating and worrying as not sure if this is ok, but the doctors say he is healthy and good weight etc. but not to force food on him incase it puts him off. so we just need to wait until he is ready. i know i was not much help but just wanted to let you know your not alone. the same as you my son would eat most things as a baby, but after he was about 18 months it got less and less and now those 4 things. xx