Parenting Tips/Advice

Picky Eaters

Puzzle

 

I haven’t posted about it yet, so many of you don’t know I have a son with Autism. He is high functioning and he is in main stream classes at school, but we do have some issues. His social skills are non-existent, he has really high anxiety, he never sleeps, and he has a problem with food. A big problem with food! I would call him a picky eater. It has just been here recently that he has been able to talk to us, so I couldn’t get much information out of him as to what he likes and doesn’t like and why.

I say that it’s just been here recently that he has been able to talk to us. He’s been verbal since he was 3 1/2, but he doesn’t start a conversation with anyone. He will answer when spoken too in the fewest words possible, and he will talk to us if we push him too, but he has never said “I feel this way because…” I have always had to guess or play 21 questions until we are both frustrated and in tears. We have left the dining room table more times than I can count with him not eating and both of us upset with no clue as to how to make it better.

A few weeks ago we had some special guest over around supper time. I had made meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn. Jacqui(our special guest!) was telling me that her son wouldn’t eat any of the food that I had made and was explaining that he doesn’t eat many foods when out of the corner of the kitchen I heard my son say “you don’t like the way those foods feel either, huh?” Wait a minute. I had to stop and listen to this wonderful in site that my son was offering! He went on to say “they just feel like they taste funny, right?” Oh My. The wheels in my head started turning and I started to put 2 and 2 together. Now I am finding out that it isn’t the taste, but the texture of food that he doesn’t like. And he doesn’t like “complicated” food. He likes simple, easy to eat, not messy food. I knew he liked hot dogs and peanut butter(no jelly!) sandwiches, but I didn’t know why. It made no sense to me that a kid that loves chicken hated chicken soup or why he would eat raw carrots, but gag at cooked carrots.

I might not have all the answers yet, but I am on the right path. I know what questions I should be asking and I have a little bit of an understanding now. In our world, understanding isn’t something that comes easy. I’ll take every little bit I can get.

13 thoughts on “Picky Eaters

  1. Wow, I can just imagine what your dinners are like! I watch a little girl who is a picky eater and her parents feed into it. She tries new food when she is eating dinner at my house. She actually just had macaroni and cheese. She usually just has her mom make it but without the cheese. She bragged to her mom that she liked it when she had it at my house. So her trouble is that she asks Do you want it with cheese or just butter? Cause even tho she liked it at my house she won’t have it at her mom’s house.

  2. I never would have thought of his dislikes being the texture of certain foods, hopefully that will help you in the future.

  3. The little girl I babysit for is kind of a picky eater also, she goes in spurts I guess.

  4. Glad to hear that you are figuring out how to deal with this problem. My kids used to be picky eaters also, but grew out of it once they had to make their own meals! Thanks for your inspiration

  5. I have a friend with a son that has autism as well and I don’t think she has slept more than 4 or 5 hours a night in 6 years. My son is 24 and has the same “texture” issue. He loves the taste of potatoes but won’t eat them mashed, loves corn only on the cob, etc. etc. Been this way since he was a toddler as well. His pediatrician always told me that as long as he was growing at the right rate not to worry. But come on, we are moms…that is what we do. I will say a prayer for your family and this wonderful, one of a kind, gift from God. Your fan, Robin

  6. My goodness.. the struggles you face.. you are amazingly inspiring! My kids are picky eaters all the time.. its always yogurt that is their go to, but bread, rice, pasta.. forget it. I try to make sure they eat enough but sometimes i gotta let it go. they will tell me when they are hungry.

  7. I was a music teacher, and the children I taught with autism were some of my favorites. Mine was the class where the educator aids could leave the students with no problem. You are certainly approaching this with the right attitude. Blessings!

  8. I am glad that you are figuring out what foods he likes that always helps. My son is a picky eater too

  9. That’s progress and I’m sure it feels WONDERFUL! It sounds like you’re very intuitive and really creative as it relates to trying to understand your son’s needs. Maybe I should ask my teenage son, why he suddenly does not like leftovers! Sometimes, the ask and you shall receive saying works in our favor!!

  10. My sons go through phases. Sometimes they won’t eat meat and they never eat bread. However, they always eat their veggies so I don’t worry to much about their picky eating habits.

  11. my older son is Aspergers and we deal with these issues too…it can be so frustrating…thats an interesting thought about the texture! i will have to ask my son about that!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back To Top