I really liked this above card! There have been some days in the past when I felt like a short-order cook....serving everyone their own special food. Not any more!!!
We instituted a "courtesy bite" rule (compliments of our social group suggestion). You will get the same food as everyone at the table on your plate....maybe not the same amount, but the same type of food. You have to take ONE bite of all the types of food. No complaining, gagging, or vomiting. If you do perhaps gag and vomit, you will be the one cleaning up the mess.
The above sounds a little manic and violent....it's not really....these rules can be calmly and quietly explained under the guise of "good manners". We have found that "good manners" explain a variety of actions and reactions appropriate for social situations. When in doubt, follow the "good manners" rule and you will find guidance in situations when you are confused.
Once the "courtesy bite" is taken, no other bite may be required. Our fallback food was yogurt, fruit or chicken nuggets....if you didn't like any of the rest of the food.
Our daughter has managed to overcome many, many food aversions...except to peanut butter. She says it is just too "gooey" and "sticky". Is it horrible that she doesn't like peanut butter....no way! There have even been instances where we have tried toasting the bread and putting just a little bit of peanut butter on the sandwich....and she has been able to eat it. I just had to push the envelope that little bit! ha!
Just keep in mind that for typical kiddos who are rejecting a new food, it takes them about 6 weeks of offering it DAILY to get them to accept the new food. So you can see how our kiddos may take a little longer....so don't give up!
Our daughter used to vomit/gag whenever she just saw whipped cream. Now she can shoot it right into her mouth from the can....just like her father! You gotta love some role models! :)
We instituted courtesy bites at our house (after you suggested that). I remembered that term from when my daughter was about three. It didn't work back then, but like many things with her, things come, just late. So it's working and she is trying things now without even one complaint. If she doesn't like it, it doesn't mean she will never see it again, she just doesn't have to try it again that meal. It works! And...it's working for my son too!
ReplyDeleteI basically did the same thing except my son's fall back staple was peanut butter sandwiches and still is, but we've made a lot of progress, lol... He can now deal with his food touching, he will try new things now and he doesn't want to live on just brussel sprouts (I am being serious, that was all he wanted one thanksgiving) and peanut butter (he was opposite of your daughter, he snagged the peanut butter when he was three before he started talking and during nap time I went in to check on him and he'd covered his whole body in it, he loves the stuff...
ReplyDeleteI have another reason I am posting... I have been researching resources for help with education and IEPs because we just recently moved and the school said the second day that he needed to be moved and it's been two weeks, his therapist said they are noncompliant because we haven't had the move in conference after ten days and he's starting to revert... He's nine now and it took us three years to get to the point of him trying to do his homework and reading (which he started this year and is had gone up two grade levels already before we moved and this year he started doing his homework without a lot of arguing), I don't want it to take another three years for him to get back to where he was before we moved... I'm not ashamed to say that I'm freaking out and I can not find an autism consultant here that is free... Do you have any ideas, comments??? I would've emailed you, but I didn't see an email address... Any help anyone could give, I would really appreciate them...
I forgot to mention that he'd previously been in a sensory classroom and that he is not in a self contained classroom for behavior mgmt and that the teacher explained that he was ready to work on academics and the other kids were and are working on behavior problems and that he's went from quietly working on his work the first day and rolling at the other kids when they did crazy things to him now acting out, throwing things and arguing with people...
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