Saturday, July 31, 2010

#39 New Food

Most nights, Jack eats an Oscar Meyer cheese dog and kraft mac and cheese. Last night, I accidentally grabbed a box of shells and cheese instead of mac and cheese and made it for Jack's dinner. I tried to get him to eat just a bite of the differently shaped pasta...and he would not. So I told him he would not get to watch a movie the next day until he had taken a bite of the shells and cheese.

I'm the meanest mommy EVER.

He refused the shells last night, woke up this morning, and wanted to watch a movie. I said he couldn't until he ate a bite of the shells and cheese. Much screaming and whining ensued, until finally the desire to watch a movie overcame the fear of TASTING SOMETHING NEW!

He counted down to the bite, took it, and gagged. He chewed, swallowed, gagged again, and asked for a juice box. After washing the taste out of his mouth, he said, "It looks like it was going to throw me up."

But he did it. By golly, he did it!

What do you do to encourage your child on the spectrum to broaden his/her taste horizons?

5 comments:

Patti J said...

Wahoo mom! You go girl! And wahoo Jack for giving in and trying the new pasta! (even if it did try to throw him up!)

Casdok said...

I just try not to let our routines get too ridged.

tinamarie said...

Tony was so limited when he was little.
He LOVED RAW Noodles!!! Still does actually.
He lived on them as that was all he would eat for some time. The doctors told to let him but make sure they are broken up so he would not choke. The other food was Chocolate Malt-O-Meal but it had to be made just right and somewhat runny and sugar.

On his cycle he would only eat 2 or 3 different foods until HE decided he needed a change. Then he would drop one and refuse it and replace it with something else.
He was like this with his baby food also. He would only a couple of different kinds and that was it. Or he would gag/throw up if i tried to sneak a different in there.
His main ones he lived on at 6 months were the Blueberry Buckle and Bananas.

He was very underweight for many years.
Slowly after many many fights he started to try some other foods. Now he does eat different things but he is still very picky about trying new foods.

Sharon (Stitches on Mars) said...

Hi Susan,
Liam is very picky. He always has chevups (a skinless gluten free sausage) and baked beans for dinner. I once put some peas in it. He stormed up the hallway and threw the offending food between my startled husband and myself.
I tried again recently...he discarded the "foreign" sausage and threw the rice across the table.
Before he was 18months old I didn't think I had a fussy child...he ate most everything...it was like someone flicked a switch.
hugs, Sharon

Jessi Fogan said...

My experience is like Sharon's - Connor ate everything until he was about 2, and then forget it. We spent a long, long time on the hot dog and "cheesy noodles" phase. First problem was meds - he was on Adderall which suppressed his appetite. I don't think he touched a vegetable in those years. Last year we changed his meds, he had a dental surgery (which included removing 5 loose teeth!) and it's like another switch flipped. We continued offering other stuff, but seriously, morale is dampened by having food refused constantly. What's the point? But, after the switch in meds & his teeth, suddenly he began to eat a variety of things. Granted, he still begins most meals with "I hate that," but then he eats it. He even sometimes asks for more...of what he "hates". Including fish. He never fell for the "hide vegetables in his whatever". Honestly, that is just bad advice. It's not like they're oblivious, they're just determined :). I really do not know exactly what happened, but your noodle story made me have to share- because picking out "different noodles" was one way we started to open up what Connor would eat. He didn't really like it either (and still hates 'slimy egg noodles') but he did like picking out funny-sounding ones & likes bow ties better than what comes in the box. For what it's worth, I do have another son with autism who will eat anything that is not nailed down, veg. included. Obviously I have no idea what works!!! lol