Sensory Issues and Food

[elainem]

Hi,

 

ds ASD has limited range of foods due to sensory probs (smell, taste and texture) but he seems to be limiting himself even more and some of his fav foods he is unable to eat them. This seems to be a genuine case of finding something about them offensive, rather than simply being faddy.

 

Thing is he has a little bit of a funny tummy at the moment so he may just be a bit off colour - he is not off all food though and that is what I am finding strange.

 

Does it sound weird if I say the tummy bug seems to be distorting his senses - I am truly hoping this is what is wrong - am desperately worried and hoping this is not a permanent change in his bowel habits and also his sensory issues.

 

Anyone else had any similar experience.

 

Thanks

 

Elaine

[Zemanski]

When Com is under longer term stress he loses foods from his diet (which fortunately is pretty good for an AS kid).

Unfortunately he rarely allows them back once they've been dismissed even when he gets more flexible as things settle down.

At 2 he would eat all sorts - smoked salmon, olives, pickles, grapes, oranges ........ but he's lost them one at a time and he's never eaten them again. Now if he's really stressed I make sure I keep as many foods in his diet as I can because he can lose them by default then, but if they taste wrong one day they're gone. I think this has happened on the rare occasions he's had colds too but not stomach problems

 

sorry - not good news from our front

 

Zemanski

[kirstie]

Lewis is the same, once ate stuff he won't go near now!

Sorry not too much help here to you but i do know how difficult it is getting them to eat! <'>

[MumTee]

I'm struggling with this as well at the mo - my boy's eaten nothing but chicken dippers (yuk) - sometimes just the coating, an occasional apple, toast and cereal for weeks and then last night ate heaps of broccoli and roasties out of the blue - I nearly cried.

[Paula]

All my 12 year old AS son will eat is soup wholegraine bread and bannanas.He used to eat and try alsorts but his food intake is very limited.

 

I wish i could give him vitamin supplements but he insists im trying to poison him and hes an uncanny knack of knowing if ive slipped something into a drink. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[elainem]

last night I decided as he was losing so many foods to try to introduce new ones. Because he likes raw foods I thought I would try him with spinach as it is supposed to be a so called "super-food". Little monkey only ate it all - put some in his lunch box today too.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Elaine

[Nemesis]

I feel very reassured to read this thread.

My DS isn't TOO bad about what he'll eat (mainly bread or cereal based with milk or cheese for protein) but he does regularly announce that he no longer likes foods that he ate for ages.

I do find this really hard to understand and hence to be patient with

I hadn't considered the role that stress or illness might play.

Nemesis

[Bullet]

Can I ask a question related to food and sensory issues? Despite having the food presented to him from well before under a year, my two and a half year old refuses point blank to eat any crunchy food, or indeed anything that requires prolonged chewing. He had some meatballs the other day, which he liked the taste of but wouldn't or couldn't chew. I'm not kidding when I say he had one in his mouth for over an hour before he spat it out. Is it common for children with ASDs (although his is just suspected at the moment) to have problems with certain textures. Eg he won't touch fruit unless it's been pulverised.

[Suze]

Hi Bullet, my son was still eating pureed food at 3 yrs, he would vomit and gag on lumpy food.He still has major food issues(he,s 10).I would take small steps, meat is difficult for youngsters to chew , and very often they are left with pulp in their mouths.Is he better with fish?

[Bullet]

Hi Suze . He's a bit better with fish but if the food is really crunchy (like celery or apples) he rejects it straightaway.

[Nemesis]

meat is difficult for youngsters to chew , and very often they are left with pulp in their mouths.

My son still really doesn't like meat much at all - it's definitely the texture

[board]

my daughter 6 conplains she has a bad tummy all the time if she got to go to school out shopping people calling to the house even when here brother calls and food is a big thing with her same food all the time is this part of as the feel badthank you jill

[elainem]

Bullet,

 

my ds is the opposite, I call him the crunchy kid! however, if your child can'ttolerate crunchy food it could be sensory, may be the noise in his mouth is overhwelming or tactile sensiticiy in his mouth. Has your child seen an OT?

[UltraMum]

Can I ask a question related to food and sensory issues? Despite having the food presented to him from well before under a year, my two and a half year old refuses point blank to eat any crunchy food, or indeed anything that requires prolonged chewing. He had some meatballs the other day, which he liked the taste of but wouldn't or couldn't chew. I'm not kidding when I say he had one in his mouth for over an hour before he spat it out. Is it common for children with ASDs (although his is just suspected at the moment) to have problems with certain textures. Eg he won't touch fruit unless it's been pulverised.

 

Hi Bullet

We have had exactly the same issue with J - he just wouldn't eat anything that required chewing ... the good news is that now - at 9 1/2 he has just started to eat new textures - astounding us at the start of December by eating a chicken drumstick - and this he just seems to have decided to do himself - despite lots of encouragement over the years.

 

So it can get better ... patience required!

[Bullet]

Elainem, he's got an assessment with a paediatrician on Monday morning.

[elainem]

Elainem, he's got an assessment with a paediatrician on Monday morning.

 

maybe you could ask for a referall to an OT

 

Elaine