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Eating disorders

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How to manage teen’s eating

7 replies

Covgal83 · 01/08/2025 16:52

My almost certainly ND 13yo has always been funny about food. She’s a veggie and I’ve been lucky because she has loved green veg etc and I’ve felt quite reassured that - alongside a lot of beige - she’ll have a pile of broccoli, green beans, mange tout on the side. However, she recently found a creepy crawly on some broccoli and had an absolute meltdown (she has these relatively regularly. I am starting the process of seeking a diagnosis as I am sure she is autistic (secondary teacher so fairly experienced in these matters) and I also worry she could develop OCD and, esp, GAD. She is now not eating any fresh veg. How would you proceed? Such a bloody tightrope!

(No creepy crawly was visible to my eye. I think that I am often part of the problem: I need to sometimes just reassure her the issue she sees is safe as opposed to try and explain that is not an issue)
God. Parenting is the hardest thing.

OP posts:
glamapple · 01/08/2025 21:03

This may not work but a friend also found a caterpillar in her broccoli and ever since will only buy frozen as she’s guaranteed not to find a creepy crawly!! Do you think that might convince her? I have an autistic DD with ADHD so am familiar with the eating issues 😬

drspouse · 01/08/2025 21:06

I think this is the kind of issue this anxiety programme might help with - I know just what you mean about too much reassurance being a mixed blessing.
DS always wants to ring DH when we are apart and I think it's getting too much and feeding his anxiety so I probably need to reread myself!

https://www.spacetreatment.net/manual-and-books

Resources | SPACE Treatment

https://www.spacetreatment.net/manual-and-books

glamapple · 02/08/2025 07:41

@drspouse that looks very interesting as I sometimes wonder if I should be less accommodating….. my ND DD is now early 20s so you think it could still be useful for me to read?

drspouse · 02/08/2025 08:13

There are quite a lot of practitioners using it for adult Failure to Launch, I know.

Covgal83 · 02/08/2025 09:25

Thank you @drspouse! Really helpful - I’ve just watched the Ted talk. I shall look into it. @glamappleI think I will need to try her on frozen. Spent ages googling multivitamins last night as well.

OP posts:
drspouse · 02/08/2025 09:39

Ooh I didn't know he'd done a Ted talk - I found him through a podcast interview with ADHD Dude.
They are both very much NVR based which we started using ages ago but they are much more practical than any other accessible practitioners we have come across.

Covgal83 · 02/08/2025 10:06

I’ve just bought the book. Shall try and remember to pop back and review.

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