“You haven’t lived until you’ve dissected a doughnut.”
Several weeks ago, I posted that as my Facebook status, and got a few puzzled comments. Most of my friends could not understand what I was talking about.
But you, my fellow parents of children with sensory issues, you understand. Don’t you?
Even Weird Al Yankovic can’t make my son eat. I’m talking about our difficulties with food at Hartley’s Life with 3 Boys today. Come check it out and don’t forget to vote for the SPD Blogger Awards while you’re there!
Click here for Eat the Doughnut!
January 21, 2011 at 9:41 am
Excellent post, Alysia – sure to give plenty of other mothers a sense of understanding and sympathy for experiencing the same with their children.
You seem to be managing the corn allergy as well as possible. I know the pervasive inclusion of corn in foods. (Same with lactose and whey.) What happens if he gets some corn by mistake?
Seems like reluctance towards foods-previously-vomited is a ‘typical’ behavior. If he chews and swallows some foods – even if not all – how can you attribute the rejections to ‘sensory’ PD? I’m beginning to question that term for the many behaviors to which it is attributed.
I support your hope that he will outgrow his food proclivities – beginning to think that food issues are a maturational issue instead.
January 21, 2011 at 11:57 am
thanks Barbara for all your thoughts. He’s not “allergic” the the corn – he just gets very “uncomfortable” intestinally (that’s the nicest way I can describe it – similar to a lactose intolerance) His behavior goes south as well, so I can always tell when he’s had something he shouldn’t have.
I agree that the reluctance to eat something that he’s previously thrown up is definitely typical, but his memory is VERY long. Some of this happened years ago. When he was younger, he did a lot of stuffing of food (which our OT said was sensory seeking), and then would gag on certain textures (sensory avoiding). Now that he’s older, he won’t even attempt something if it doesn’t smell or look right, or if there’s anything with chunks or pieces hanging off it. He’s moved from the actual attempt (and the sensory reaction) to not even attempting it at all (also sensory avoidance). His teachers can get him to try certain new things at school, but only after a lot of sensory modulation exercises. This is why we still attribute his food issues to SPD. We been to GIs, had endoscopies, etc., and they all say the same thing that it’s not an immature physical thing, but behavioral.
January 21, 2011 at 12:51 pm
You sorted that out well, for me to understand better. Thanks.
I guess I meant ‘maturational’ in the behavioral sense. That he has and will ‘learn’ different eating behaviors. On the timeline of his particular (nervous system) trajectory. Guess I don’t always explain so well. Apologies.
January 21, 2011 at 10:09 am
Ahhhhh eating woes. We’re still going through that too.
You know who DID have an influence on eating in our house? Jamie Oliver. My Jaimie L-O-V-E-S him. Weird, huh? =D
<3
Chynna
http://www.lilywolfwords.ca
http://www.the-gift-blog.com
http://www.seethewhiteelephants.blogspot.com
January 21, 2011 at 11:22 am
really? I wonder if I had the boys watch cooking shows if that would help…great idea!!
January 21, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Well, it seemed to help my Jaimie and Xander for some reason. I think it has alot to do with Chef Jamie having SUCH huge energy and passion for food, cooking and eating. And he’s got a great big garden and talks about where food comes from…I don’t know. LOL! It really helped my kids, ESPECIALLY Jaimie.
There are a handful of people that she seems to ‘connect’ with at a level I don’t understand. I’m starting to but Chef Jamie is one of those people and that’s cool with me since he’s getting her interested in food and eating, even if they ‘feel funny’ in her mouth. =)
January 21, 2011 at 3:16 pm
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