Food Aversions or a.k.a. Picky Eaters

Toe so good

Moms always complain about how their kids are picky eaters, it can be so frustrating and concerning.  You want your child to eat and eat healthy choices but picky eaters have a different plan. A picky eater with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and or Autism (ASD) can be even more troubling.

My son is probably the pickiest eater I have ever dealt with. Honestly, most days I think he would sooner eat his own toes then eat meatballs or mac and cheese. Seriously, I have seen him eat a crayon no problem but roasted chicken, no can do. In order for E to eat something, especially a new food, he has to allow all his senses to approve the food item before he eats it. Its a process that he takes time with.

Here are the steps E goes takes before eating something.

Step 1: Looks at food
He stares at it from a few different angles. At this point, if he doesn't like the way it looks, it's on the floor or he starts screaming. He use to freak out over diced carrots.

Step 2: Touches food
If we manage to get to step two, he gages feel, temperature and texture. E tends to like food that are either really hot or cold and in the white or beige family of foods to touch. It will end up on floor or it passes to next step.

Step 3: Smell
So this is where E simply smells the food. Disapproves floor, approves next step.

Step 4: Taste
This is where my son will decide if he will bite the food. E takes a lick or simply touches his lip or tongue to the food. If it passes the test he will take a small bite. I mean small, bird size. Often the food ends up on the floor because he took so long to get to step 4 that the temperature is no longer how he wants it or he doesn't like the texture of the food item when chewed.

Right now E lives on Greek Yogurt (Banana only), bananas, smoothies with veggies snuck in, Keifer shakes (Strawberry only), almond milk, bread untoasted with Honey, bread with Nutella and Chocolate chip granola bars. Just recently he has stopped eating pizza, has tried chicken nuggets but they must be hot and banana with Nutella. He seems to like his things on the sweeter side. It's fairly healthy but I still feel like I could get him to eat more veggies and solid proteins. Perhaps that is every moms plight.

I long for the day that I can make a pot of Mac and Cheese, place it in front of my son and he eats it. Maybe not even all of it but a bite or two. In the meantime, we test out foods and hope for the best.

Thanks for following and have a blessed day.

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