Anyone with an aspergic girl who has or has had weight issues

[Wills]

My eldest is 11 (yr7) and whilst not technically a teen has all the other aspects of being a teenager excluding periods which may well start at any point. In accordance with what I've read is natural she has plumped up a little and gained the shape of an adult with size 34 C boobs, hips etc. she also gained a love of carbs more so than shed ever had before. I ignoredit for a while but now she's going from slightly plump teen to fat. She's only 11 yet she's moving into size 12 (that's adult sizing) not child's age) and I'm getting worried. Shortly after she started secondary she got weighed as part of a science experiment comparing different forms of weight. She's at a special needs school specifically designed for aspergic and dyslexic children so there was absolutely no reference to weight in terms of her appearance yet she still managed to realise that she was one of the heaviest and reacted to this by refusing to eat two days (it took me 2 days to discover why and get the school to tackle it). Nevertheless the whole thing left me nervous on how to deal with her weight in general. But I must! By the time I was 24 I was a size 24. My mother gave me little guidance. Now a size 10 to 12 I'd hoped to protect my kids from the same agonising memories of being a fat teen by teaching them how to manage their weight through wise choices in food. But all my attempts fall on stony ground and I'm petrified that if I come on too strong I'll end up with an Annorexic teen. Any advice anyone?

[numptysmummy]

Bump. I'm in a similar sittuation with my 14yr old sn teen. Not helped but poor muscle tone :(

[Bakelitebelle]

Hi, I don't have direct parental experience, but I have a young female relative who displays many Aspergic behaviours and always has (no ASD diagnosis, but she is sooo ASD!) She went through a plump phase, then as a teenager, went into a terrible decline and became anorexic. Not sure why exactly, but a combination of not coping socially at school, comments about her weight and just not getting proper recognition of her needs and ASD issues). She is doing better now, but years on is very underweight, is unable to hold down work and has major food issues (as well as an ever-changing mental illness diagnosis). Anorexia gets a dreadful grip.

So, like you say, the weight thing should be handled very sensitively, but of course it needs to be tackled.

Do you know if the eating disorders charities like BEAT have any information on handling food issues sensitively? Otherwise, being very careful what sort of food you have in the house (e.g., no family packs of crisps etc.) and trying to get her to eat - low fat - protein (keeps you fuller longer), and high GI/GL foods that will keep her blood sugar levels more even. Work exercise into the day without her realising, e.g., some motivation to walk somewhere for 20 minutes daily. Can she walk to school? That is often the way young teenagers start shifting the fat

Hand out a large bowl of crudite and low fat dip and a glass of water before each meal. Could she help cut it up and prepare it to get her used to enjoying healthy food?

Hope I'm not teaching Grandma to suck eggs!!