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Eating disorders/aspies

Q

Quintin

Well-Known Member
Quintin is my 3 yr 10 mth old son. He was diagnosed with PDD-NOS. He started refusing lunch at about 2 ( he was eating everything) then he couldn't have certain foods on the plate with others(meltdown). It's been getting worse . He eats crackers only at school ,at home he will eat one food ( an egg or Mac & cheese ) for weeks.
He gags on some things, mostly he refuses everything. Any thoughts or stories or even suggestions?
 
My son was diagnosed with anorexia (not to be confused with anorexia nervosa) when he was 9 or 10 years old. Our struggle also began at a very early age...birth. He struggled to swallow and keep things down, finally ending up on a lactose free formula. He refused to eat solid foods until he was over 18 months, and very limited types of foods even then. After a couple rounds of tubes and removal of adenoids, he could tolerate a few more foods, but not many. At that point, our pediatrician was more concerned about maintaining weight and growth than what he was eating. We encouraged snacking as opposed to full meals and we kept healthier versions of the foods he did eat. My son would have lived on ice cream, potato chips, carrots & mushrooms, mac & cheese, rice, and peanut butter. So we kept all natural ice creams, baked sea salt chips, veggie trays, pastas, rice, and lots of natural peanut butter on hand at all times. My son is now 16, 5'11", and 148lbs. He still doesn't eat much, but he at least makes healthy food decisions and get vital nutrients when he does eat. I know how frustrating it can be...and I have had to force feed him from time to time. But when he became taller and stronger than me, that was a little more difficult. My advice is truly to work with what you've got. Find variations of the foods he likes and slowly introduce them. Offer versions that provide more nutrients and less chemicals. If he's growing and gaining weight, then you are doing all you can. Good luck!!!
 
If we can't eat, we can't 'learn'. As said, we eat to live!

Because of AS's obsessive features, once AS people don't grab hold of what they eat, Aspies will just refuse to eat.

Sometimes drugs can also bring about the same effect, only with the added feature of chemical feature.
 
Thanks, Quintin still only eats very limited food. French toast, meatballs & milk . Chips if we let him . No veg & fruit.
I buy only organic / wholesome products for him. He does gag on fo
 
The anxiety he has when we ask him what he wants to eat is very scary to me( his mom) Quin is now 4 . I am going to soon find an Occupational therapist, it's expensive though. He gags often when eating so I think he is afraid to eat. He loves liquids. Can we live on liquids alone?
 
Can you overcook the vegetables a little and mash them so that they are easier for him to eat?

He doesn't need to eat a lot of solid food at his age if he really dislikes it - my son was still drinking lots of infant formula at that age.

When my son was about your son's age and we would try to feed him he would often keep the same food in his mouth without chewing for an hour or more.

I was force fed as a child, which was rather unnecessary because I was literally twice the size of most kids my age. And traumatic, since I was being force fed adult sized meals at the same age as your son is now. Just remember that if he is autistic or aspie he is unlikely to forget anything that you do to him now, so if you do have to force feed him do it in moderation and gently and with love. Avoid making him eat food that is hard for him to chew, like steak for example. I cook up casseroles for my kids so that the meat is extremely tender.
 
I had him eating meatloaf with hidden veg mush but I figured he caught on to me. I'll try again.
The main problem is getting him to TRY new things ,it just doesn't happen
 
It's probably best not to hide food, because once he finds out - well, I guess he did find out - then it can escalate the issue. He may start to refuse more food in the fear that you've hidden something in it. It can also impact the trust your child will have in you, which I'm guessing is something that you don't want.

Sometimes children have problems eating due to texture, sometimes due to colour, sometimes due to fear. It's not really about increasing their curiosity per se, it's more about working with them to increase their tolerance to new food. New food can increase a child's anxiety because it's simply something they've never tried before and therefore they don't know how it would be to them. I guess it's similar to how someone on a predominantly Western diet may feel when presented with, say, a fried scorpion on a stick.

An OT sounds helpful in that they might be able to help your child overcome their resistance. Is there a child development centre or something of the like that you can ask for help as well? Where I am, the development centres can help parents with food refusal. I've had some experience with one and yes, some children get some interesting food ideas in their heads. The social worker I was working with told me of a child who would only eat frozen peas. Yes, frozen peas. They eventually got him to eat more.
 
I am going to contact the Geneva ctr. They are local and well known around the world. I hope they can accept us as Quin is very functional accademically. The Geneva ctr.specializes in all Autism spectrum disorders.
I agree with demon, I don't want to mess with his trust in me. Thanks, an OT for food issues is also on my list.

I
 
Still waiting to here back from the Geneva Ctr. For Autism for my sons food refusal. I think i am going to have to pay for an OT out of my own pocket ($120/hr.) in Toronto. It seems to me that our health care only helps out fully Autistic kids. We will see
 
Some information from someone who still eats very picky!

I'm 24 and I still have a very odd diet and refuse to eat certain foods. When some foods are mixed together I can't eat them.. When two different foods mix it can actually taste different and have a different texture. Rather than focusing on getting him to change his eating habit, work to understand what is acceptable texture wise, etc. Learn to separate food for him and such.

My advice, don't expect him to eat multiple fruits or multiple veggies, but focus on finding one he actually likes. Asking him to always try new foods will only provoke more anxiety. That's what I've experienced personally. The more people asked the more likely I was to refuse it, even if it was something I'd try on my own if nobody else was around.

Find a way for the idea to try new food to be his. If you hide food and not tell him he will only become more aware of you attempting to trick him, which will result in him refusing food that he may actually like. Also, remember just because you can't taste the difference in mixed food doesn't mean he can't. :p

I don't believe you need to work on his tolerance of food. That in my opinion will just create mistrust and anxiety about eating food which can lead to more problems later on in life. My parents eventually found a few items from various food categories, veggies, fruits, bread, etc etc, that I actually like.

Also, expect him to eat the same food obsessively and expect it to change at random! :p It happens.. Just as long as it's not unhealthy I don't see it as a problem. I still eat this way. I find something I like and enjoy it regularly for about 1-2 weeks before moving on to something else.
 
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Quintin enjoys his Turkey Meatballs with a ketchup dip. Someimes breakfast & dinner. He eats French Toast with real Maple syrup, and sometimes pasta(Mac & Cheese)
I'm (mom) ok with these choices.
He drinks his juice with fruit & veg ! I'm not pressuring him to try new things. He is calmer.
 
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