Is this a reasonable adjustment or do I need to get a drs letter for packed lunch issues ?

[packedlunchproblems]

Ds has ASD (and possibly ARFID) . Only eats certain foods and lunch every day for years has been sugar free squash, a banana, a pack of mini breadsticks, a babybel and a big petit filous pot. School have changed the rules this year and now say only water or milk. Do I say it’s a reasonable adjustment and keep sending the squash or will it require a drs letter to allow him to continue to have this as it’s the only thing he drinks

As an aside, I must admit that I’m quite impressed with schools that have the time and staffing to check this. So long as the children in my class (Year 6) aren’t downing Red Bull in my lessons, I can’t say I’d notice who has squash etc. Ditto the TAs in the lunch hall; they’re too busy getting 120 children through lunch in a tiny Victorian school hall to monitor juice vs water.

Adjustments can easily be made. Talk to the school.

However for people saying they don't understand schools having stupid rules.

Cleaning water from the floor or from a child or from the carpet is much easier than cleaning sticky squash spillages.

I can mop up a water spillage quickly in about 2 mins with paper towel, for squash I need to get the mop out and that's stored in the cleaning cupboard and involves much more time. Time that could be spent teaching.

It is ABSOLUTELY a reasonable adjustment on the grounds of ARFID. my DS's school had all the healthy eating rules, but he has ASD and ARFID was one of the co-morbid conditions.

The adjustments he had in regards to his ARFID were that he took his own lunch in daily, ate it separate from everyone else (other peoples food upset him if it wasn't on his 'safe' list.)
He didn't participate in 'healthy eating' discussions or seminars (we lost safe foods this way.)
Cooking lessons he was allowed to observe and touch/taste only when comfortable, never forced.

An ASD related eating disorder like ARFID has to be respected and carefully handled. The school need to accommodate and you have every right to request them.

Schools are starting to get really weird. It’s like they are turning into mini totalitarian states

Again thank you for the comment. It's really helped me understand more about this condition. Not

I guess you must be quite young not to remember school dinners in the 70s and 80s.

The idea of reasonable adjustments back then didn’t even exist.

Do your own thing without taking the opinion of the school. They are always against kids medical eating or oral issues. Have heard horror stories, school giving milk to a child with a letter from GP for milk allergy, head mistress forbidding porridge to a friend whose child could not even chew, a TA forcing sandwich the throat of the same child and inquiring rudely of her what she is fed home, making the child almost dying from both chocking and crying

These people can be evil and very very ignorant.

Sounds like they maybe difficult or perhaps the senco has been snowed under or absent. If needed the complaints procedure should be avaliable on their website.

Why will it 'cause issues'? I genuinely don't understand this! Not everyone drinks plain water...this is a relatively new 'thing' that people seem to think they need to carry around/drink copious amounts of water or 'it will cause issues'.

As a '60s child' I'm not of the 'water glugging' generation and very rarely drink water. Tea, coffee, juice (wine 🤣)...yes, but plain old water??? Rarely 🤷‍♀️

I've reached 60 without it 'causing issues', so 🤷‍♀️

Staying hydrated is important, of course, but plain water isn't the only way to do this!!

This is straight from the NHS website!

Can people stop attacking @Andwegoroundagain? She wasn't aware of the condition when she first posted, and now she is.

@packedlunchproblems hope it is resolved quickly.

School staff?

Doesn’t sound like the ARFID has been confirmed though.

Somewhat disingenuous to pretend that you’re unaware that ‘plain old water’ is by far the healthiest way to stay hydrated.

It's a reasonable adjustment

If the school insist on a doctors note you must insist that they pay for it! Ridiculous waste of NHS resources. (Not a dig at you OP, at the school!)

It’s a reasonable adjustment and I would expect them to make it without a GP letter. I emailed school to say that DS would be wearing black leather trainers and not school shoes due to orthotics and no one quibbled or asked for further evidence.

It may be worth experimenting with different bottles where the juice won’t be visible in case school continue to be difficult. I suspect your DS may find the juice tastes different or “wrong” as it’s not in the carton. If he can watch you pour it in each time so he knows it is the same juice and then together find a bottle that “tastes” ok that might be the way forward.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross

Comprehension is clearly not your strong point...I very clearly said that I did not understand the 'issues' that not drinking plain water caused (as the poster advised the OP to take her child to the GP if they would not drink plain water!) They drink juice...which IS water (with juice!)

I then literally quoted the NHS information on this topic, which (also very clearly) informs us that many other fluids are just as good and ALL count in our fluid intake. They state that 'Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.'

So yes, I am genuinely curious as to these 'issues' that need a GP visit to address!!

I never once said that water wasn't healthy...of course it is...but we can get water in whatever way it is palatable to us...it does NOT have to be just plain old water!!

It's really hard to get a diagnosis. Alder Hey only started to recognise it a couple of years ago. DS has been referred, I'm not sure what the waiting list is like. In the meantime you still have to deal with the symptoms!

I don’t disagree. My nephew has been diagnosed at 4 (sister had to really push for it) as he was eating so little that they were about a week off having a food tube fitted. :(

Not all auties have ARFID and some do improve with age. School have to be careful that everyone doesn’t start having arguments with others who want to send other drinks in with their children, I guess. The SENCO should definitely be more understanding.

You should have a diagnosis letter with ARFID detailed.

This should be enough for the school.

You would be expected to pay for the GP to produce a letter - you might tell that school that if they want this, they would need to send the money to the GP for it.

🙄

I have a child with autism and ARFID (diagnosed) and what you are suggesting is definitely a suitable and acceptable reasonable adjustment. I’ve not needed any medical notes to back it up with school so I would try having a conversation with the senco first of all and then you can go down the medical note route (and quoting the Equality Act) if necessary.

Good luck.

We only have a diagnosis so far of ASD and are currently under a description of ‘eating disorder/ food anxiety/ sensory issues ‘ whilst waiting for a diagnosis of ARFID. I’m going to see if I can find a bottle he will accept and then they can’t see the squash

I think the sensory needs of autism alone is sufficient for justification.