ds1 (8) having trouble chewing/swallowing food

[DottyDot]

Sigh...

Ds1's struggling more and more with eating his dinner. He's always been a bit of a fussy eater but in the last year or so has got much better.

Recently though he's started to take ages to finish his dinner, is constantly chewing his food without swallowing and sometimes leaves the table, goes out to play and still has food in his mouth from tea 15 minutes later...

He's also always been quite a stressed out/anxious little thing and it's the beginning of a school year which he struggles with.

So I suppose I'm asking if anyone else has experienced this - I'm kind of thinking it isn't a physical difficulty - he can chew sweets with no problem and wolfs down his cereal each morning...

Any top tips for managing dinner times - we're swinging from not making any fuss to being frustrated at the length of time he's taking to eat and the little he's eating at the moment.

He's also getting a bit obsessed about his weight - he's very skinny, absolutely not an ounce of fat on his - but he mentions about not wanting to get fat.

Aaarrggghhh - just off loading and asking for similar experiences. Am hoping it's a first term back general anxiety issue but will keep a close eye.

hopeful bump...

No experience but bumping for you

I'd seek some help with this before it gets any worse. I'd speak to the school nurse, you can get in touch with her via the school reception, you don't have to tell them what it's about. He is showing signs of an eating disorder here, he's being quite controlling about what he's eating and his weight obsession isn't a healthy obsession to have, sorry

Hmm - I know... He's been controlling about everything since he was a baby - I've always thought (and have started threads over the years!) that he's ;slightly higher up the autistic spectrum than others - that's not at all belittling autism because we've never gone down that road officially and he does well at school, has made friends etc.

But everything has always had to be absolutely the way he needs it to be, there's always a routine - he needs to know what's happening every day etc. and he doesn't give hugs or cuddles - never has. Lots of things really. This just seems like the latest thing...

So that makes me think it'll pass - and I don't want to make a big thing out of it.

He took about half an hour to eat tea tonight (the rest of us had finished within 10 mins!) and had 1 piece of sausage in his mouth for ages and ages - I told him he had to finish it in order to have a treat (chocolate biscuit - no problem..!) but he literally kept chewing and chewing. In the end he said he'd be able to swallow it with his treat so I let him and he did.

Aaaarrggghhhhh.....

Aspergers is on the autism spectrum, people who have aspergers have the need for routine and have problems picking up social cues/social skills problems.

The school nurse is availiable anytime you want, the need for control is very concerning though, not just regarding his food but because you can't always control what life throws at you and this will cause a great deal of distress for him in the future unless he's given strategies to help him cope with them. I really would seek support sooner rather then later.

thanks - I'll have a chat with dp - yes it was Aspergers type things I was thinking about and have had lots of conversations with my Mum, family and friends about how although he's hugely intelligent (bit of a maths genius), he needs coping strategies to get through life - he always needs lots of notice before we do stuff etc.

Will talk to dp about who we could talk to etc.

Thanks

It's OK. He really could do with some support, my friend has a child with aspergers, the support that he has had has helped him such alot as he does find the world a strange place sometimes. The coping strategies he has learned have shown him that it's not as scary as he thinks it is so it's best to learn these sooner rather then later if you know where I am coming from, it saves upset/stress in future occasions.

Your GP is your best bet. The school nurses are lovely and are supportive, I bet you need a friendly ear aswell.