Meal times making me want to scream!!

[Camlet]

Hi everyone I just had yet another meal time from hell with both my kids but mainly my son who has autism who hates food unless it's junk like chocolate, crisps, chips ect which I don't realy like them to eat (it seriosly effects his behavior) & they only have as a treat on very rare occasions! He hates sitting down for meals (we eat our meals at the kitchen table as a family) & his sister is starting to copy! They are now both refusing to eat anything at meal times & insist on living of mash potatoes, apples, bananas & toast! they won't eat rice, chicken, any kind of meat & have started to refuse to eat there vegatables which where the only foods I could get them to eat my df realy doesn't help as he refuses to eat any kind of fruit or veg & often has separate meals to us like chips, pizza ect & obviosly they are starting to notice & want what he eats! I'm at my wits end I mean I'm trying my god damn hardest to keep my kids healthy but it's getting so impossible argh!!! Any sugestions to get them back on track!?! Plz don't tell me to just give them what they want my son has got to be on a strict diet as he has bowel problems & also certain foods realy effect his behavior xx

 

[MrsRabbit]

I would ask for a referral to an Occupational or Speech therapist who specializes in Feeding therapy. Sensory issues can effect feeding. If he does in fact have sensory issues or issues a feeding therapy program can help with you can teach him how to eat more typically.

If your son has oral aversion [hates the feeling of certain textures, liquids etc in his mouth] he will only eat the foods which feel right.

DS had HORRIBLE oral aversion, he has weight issues, feeding refusal [lasting long enough he's ended up hospitalized], chronic low iron. He did feeding therapy from 20 months to 2.5 years and we're doing sensory OT again now as some of his habits and food issues have come back.

Food Chaining is an awesome book.

https://www.amazon.com/Food-Chainin...0161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304859577&sr=8-1

It explains the tests which need to be done to rule out - uncontrolled reflux or other physical issues which could be causing the feeding refusal. Then steps to find the right methods to help your child eat better. It also explains the food chaining program.

For example - child will eat McDonald's Chicken Nuggets

We would introduce - a frozen chicken nugget at home - it may take dozens of tries for them to touch, lick, taste, chew, swallow, keep down this chicken nuggets

Then we'd move on to a breaded chicken strip, then a crispy chicken strip, then shake and bake style chilck, then plain baked chicken and then finally grilled chicken.

Some kids do not need all these steps for every food. The goal is to slowly encourage the kids from what they are comfortable with to the new food without the screaming, fear etc.

DS ate graham crackers so we introduced honey graham crackers, then cinnamon graham crackers...then once he got used to cinnamon we tried cinnamon sprinkled on apple slices.

He ate gold fish crackers - cheesy and crunchy - so we introduced cheddar cheese and once he accepted that well we later introduced mac and cheese...



I am an major fan of food chaining. It literally has saved my son from a feeding tube. This goes beyond a picky kid. While you see chicken or veggies the texture is so off putting to your child it would be like asking a typical person to eat a worm or something. It really is that gross. My son still to this day gags at the texture of green beans - like completely cannot handle it. It's just too awful for him. But we now have 2 veggies he will eat [raw broccoli and mushrooms] and corn he'll sometimes eat.

Selective feeding disorders are not eating disorders.

 

[Camlet]

Thank you for your reply my son has an appointment with his OT at the end of June for his sensory issues it just seems to be taking ages to get here! Lol he probably does have oral aversion as that is exactly his problem he won't eat anything new at all & hates different textured food even if I try to hide it he will automaticly notice once it's in his mouth & then it's spat everywhere & he starts with the gagging & rubbing his Tongue like mad! He does sometimes make himself sick sometimes but thankfully not alot! He also hates things like tight clothes or touching different materials or textured items aswell which was why he was reffered your comment is realy helpfull as I never realy thought to put 2 & 2 together iynwim I always thought he was just fussy I never realised there was a name for it! Thank you for that link I will read it tonight once the kids are in bed & thank you for that idea about food chaining I might give that a go & see where it gets me! Thanks again you have realy helped xx

 

[MrsRabbit]

Here is the Food Chaining Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Food-Chaining/127078483991561

 

[kelzyboo]

I don't have any advice but i know how you feel, mealtimes are hell for us too! The description of oral aversion sounds about right and i'd never heard of food chaining before so thankyou mrsrabbit, will be looking into that now! DD isn't as bad as yours was but thats because i don't push the issue and make her try anything, i let her have what she likes. Will be trying the food chaining though, i hate what she eats x

 

[MrsRabbit]

I really want to tell everyone I meet about oral aversion, feeding disorders and how you can't scare your kid into eating if they have this. I have had so many people tell me I should just lock him in a high chair until he complies. Yeah with kids like this it could lead to full out refusal period and they'd need a feeding tube or IV nutrition.

 

[kelzyboo]

As if its possible to force feed them, if you push the issue they will never try anything, it scares them more rather than 'helping' them. This is why i haven't pushed it, she can't even tolerate some foods on her plate or in the same room, can't imagine how she'd feel if i forced them into her mouth. Whoever says make them eat it, doesn't have a child with genuine food issues x

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

We are starting food chaining this week with my daughter. She is NT but does not eat much at all x

 

[Mummy2Boo]

We have been through severe feeding issues here. When he was weaned, my son would happily eat anything put in front of him and mealtimes were a joy until he was 15 months old and one day, he refused to eat. And I mean he refused everything offered. I think we went 4 or 5 days with offering anything and everything and all he would take was milk or juice. We struggled to find a reason behind this and even now, over 18 mths later we still have no clue.

Thankfully we had a fantastic paediatrician who helped us. She got us an appointment with a specialist clinical psychologist who deals with feeding issues and we worked out different methods we could try out. After a good 6 mths of trying out new things - food play, cooking together, letting my son pick things at the supermarket, letting him pick off my plate, you name it we tried it - I weaned him again. Started at the ground up and now he will eat chicken, cheese, fish, pasta, peas, eggs, broccoli and today we tried ham. He's 4 in August and it's been such a battle. He's under SALT and OT and neither of them can find an obvious reason for the problems we've had and still suffer with regularly. His new gastro has suggested there is a possibility of silent reflux but that wouldn't explain why it suddenly started at 15 mths.

Might be worth a try but your health visitor/GP might be able to get your a referral to a feeding clinic run by the dietetics dept in childrens outpatients. They have SALT, OT, clinical psychologists and dieticians who all work together with you and your child to try and find a solution.