Autism / Autism Spectrum Support Group
Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. Although the specific etiology of autism is unknown, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetically mediated vulnerabilities to environmental triggers.
My daughter Daphne is 3 1/2 and is Autistic. There are FEW things she likes to eat that are good for her, and I mean VERY FEW. It's horrible. I feel like tearing my hair out, and every day I feel like I have failed as a parent.
Here are some examples of what we were giving her for dinner (she will no longer eat most of these!!!)
1. French fries (froz.), peas and carrots mixed.
2. French fries, corn.
3. Small dish of spaghetti with mushroom sauce, piece of bread with butter.
4. Chicken noodle soup (the kind made from a mix) and one of the vegetables mentioned above.
5. Sweet and sour chicken from the chinese restaurant (she REFUSES to try rice) and a vegetable
That's it- and these are very limited menu choices. Those were the meals she would eat. Now she won't eat most of these foods. She refuses to try new foods. She pushes them back at me as if to tell me to stick them. She refuses meats such as hamburger, roast turkey, etc... (You'd think I was offering her liver, which no one here likes) and will not even eat foods like pizza (cheese, no toppings) and macaroni and cheese. She will not eat sandwiches.
Of course, she's ALWAYS ready to eat junk foods like cookies and crackers. She will usually eat cereal, but within the last few days decided she only wants the sugar coated ones. Tonight we didn't know what to give her for dinner, so we gave her peas and carrots (mixed), which she used to love, and two slices of toast with butter. All she would eat was one slice of toast. I am worried sick about her health. It's bad enough that she's Autistic. Fortunately she does drink around 16 oz. of milk every night at bed time. (Likes soy milk too). -But she STILL insists on having it in a BABY BOTTLE!!!! That's a whole separate problem though. Right now I am just concerned with her diet.
We are very interested in trying the GF/CF diet- but when a child won't even eat common every day foods that most of the rest of the world eats and likes, how is that going to go over?!!
Does anyone have any advice for how we can get our daughter to eat better and to try new foods? Recently she began receiving Medicaid benefits (after a LONG wait). Does anyone know if Medicaid would pay for an expert like a dietician to come in and help us with this problem? Our Medicaid rep. isn't much help, and I am not sure if she knows the answer to this. I think other parents with Autistic kids who have been through this know best about these things.
Thanks
Wendy
Here are some examples of what we were giving her for dinner (she will no longer eat most of these!!!)
1. French fries (froz.), peas and carrots mixed.
2. French fries, corn.
3. Small dish of spaghetti with mushroom sauce, piece of bread with butter.
4. Chicken noodle soup (the kind made from a mix) and one of the vegetables mentioned above.
5. Sweet and sour chicken from the chinese restaurant (she REFUSES to try rice) and a vegetable
That's it- and these are very limited menu choices. Those were the meals she would eat. Now she won't eat most of these foods. She refuses to try new foods. She pushes them back at me as if to tell me to stick them. She refuses meats such as hamburger, roast turkey, etc... (You'd think I was offering her liver, which no one here likes) and will not even eat foods like pizza (cheese, no toppings) and macaroni and cheese. She will not eat sandwiches.
Of course, she's ALWAYS ready to eat junk foods like cookies and crackers. She will usually eat cereal, but within the last few days decided she only wants the sugar coated ones. Tonight we didn't know what to give her for dinner, so we gave her peas and carrots (mixed), which she used to love, and two slices of toast with butter. All she would eat was one slice of toast. I am worried sick about her health. It's bad enough that she's Autistic. Fortunately she does drink around 16 oz. of milk every night at bed time. (Likes soy milk too). -But she STILL insists on having it in a BABY BOTTLE!!!! That's a whole separate problem though. Right now I am just concerned with her diet.
We are very interested in trying the GF/CF diet- but when a child won't even eat common every day foods that most of the rest of the world eats and likes, how is that going to go over?!!
Does anyone have any advice for how we can get our daughter to eat better and to try new foods? Recently she began receiving Medicaid benefits (after a LONG wait). Does anyone know if Medicaid would pay for an expert like a dietician to come in and help us with this problem? Our Medicaid rep. isn't much help, and I am not sure if she knows the answer to this. I think other parents with Autistic kids who have been through this know best about these things.
Thanks
Wendy
they won't eat anything "good"for them except drink milk
my daughter is autistic and eats a variety of foods...she will eat pretty much whatever is placed before her...only time she is picky is when she is sick.....ask about vitamins and maybe she might like the pediasure shakes.
offer a wide variety of foods...put a small amount on her plate,you may have to offer a reward for trying something new but do keep trying new things....
we also grow our own tomatoes,peppers,beans and such sometimes children like them fresh(raw) and its fun seeing where the items come from......good luck
I don't think Medicaide will pay for a dietician but you could push the point. Someone always has to be the trail blazer. LOL
My experience on the GF/CF diet is that it works for a bit but then does not. In a couple of cases, the kids seemed to get worse but whether it was related I don't know.
I know a few parents who swore by it for a while but then realzed it did not help and they quit. I have never met anyone who had long term success with it but I am sure there are some out there, I just have not met anyone.
As for the baby bottle thing, that is slightly funny. I know not to you but there is a boy in my area who is 11 and still uses a sippy cup. He carries it with him everywhere. He named it and gave it a birtday. He (this is true I promise) puts it to bed in a shoe box covered with a washcloth at night when he goes to bed.
They get attached to their bottles and cups.
I will only use a red plastic bowl with handles unless I am out in public or don't have it. At home I use a specific blue plate, a specific red bowl and a plastic blue spoon. I don't know. Its just a thing.
I would say if that is thd diet, go with it for now. Add things a little at a time if you can and don't worry about it so much. Austin has never eaten a vegetable or a fruit and he is fine. Kids are resilient.