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SN children

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Original poster

DS with ASD losing weight. Any tips?

23 replies

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 12:57

My DS2 is 11 and has always been a poor eater. He was quite tall for his age at 4 and an average weight. We tried a GF diet after doing the Sunderland Test for 7 months with no change in his behaviour so stopped it. He did, however, not gain any weight when GF and ever since has got gradually shorter for his age and thinner. He's now on the 7th centile for BMI for his age, only 2% above underweight. He's not gained any weight for the past 6 months.

He eats a fairly healthy but restricted diet and likes cheese strings, bread, pizza, cereal, apples and grapes. All gluten and casein of course! He dislikes unprocessed meat, potatoes (including chips!) yogurt, and all vegetables of course! He has an 8 year old brother who eats more than him and who's weight gain I have to watch. I need some suggestions of calorie rich food to tempt him or to supplement his diet that I can hide from his not so little brother.

Any suggestions? Before I have to resort to the doctor. Never a fun trip with DS 2.

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bettyboop63 · 27/02/2011 13:08

my ds is the same he eats only about 5 different things wont/cant eat veg inc pots(no chips even)as gags no fruit of veg only drinks fresh orange juice he really hates all bread product too except he will eat lightly cooked toast its a big worry he eats same things day in day out how boring he sits down with us to eat so sees all of us eating all different manner of foods but even with bribary will not try he hates most of the textures hes even fussy with sweets only a certain chocolate bar no other types of sweets or even chocolate covered sweets no chews nothing (im going grey here)

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 14:20

Is he skinny? And fussy about sweets! My DS always looks pale and unhealthy. No dark rings round his eyes or red ears tho'. Really don't want it to be gluten problem as he'd starve without it! He likes the sour type sweets, skittles sour, extra sour chewits etc. Strange sensory stuff. He likes fresh lemons, too. Can't stand hot food, has to really cool down first.

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bettyboop63 · 27/02/2011 14:43

mine doesnt likehot food either but i was gonna tell you as hes been home tutored hes put on weight as i cant stop him wanting his favorite cake those little individually wrapped swiss rolls he was a lot under weight now hes atm a bit chubby DH says he isnt he looks normal , maybe he looks it to me as he was so thin before i have to suppliment his diet tho as hes so fussy hes not sleeping atm either due to anxiety and gp wouldnt give me anything to help him sleep hes going soon to see CAMHS again so ill ask them i did mention it last time but they wouldnt either as was his first appointment with them

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 15:05

I was hoping for some ideas a bit healthier than cake! I've got to keep any extras hidden from chubby 8 yr old younger DS3.

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bettyboop63 · 27/02/2011 15:22

lol me 2 im not suggesting cake at all i wish ds likes fruit its so annoying i know how you feel too DS has a chubby older bro and a v skinny sister she wont touch anything with fat i she check's every label and only eats wholemeal low fat everything and hates sweet things puds or sweets where as my other DS wont stop eating i have to hide everything and ration him trouble with DS(asd) is because he only eats about 5 diff things i worry and am just glad he eats at all now bad i know but you get so desperate, id like some healthy suggestions but he hates textures so much everything makes him gag... ive brought DD those belvita breakfast bisc's she loves those how about those fruit winders something like that or fruit smoothies,

corns12k · 27/02/2011 15:23

will he eat pancakes? You could make them with full cream milk. Or if he likes hot chocolate you could use complan.

corns12k · 27/02/2011 15:23

also lucosade is high in calories

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 15:27

He won't drink anything hot. Pancakes are a good idea, unfortunately DS3 loves them! Can Complan be used cold, in a milkshake or something?

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bettyboop63 · 27/02/2011 15:32

good idea corn12k my ds wont drink that but he will eat pancakes homemade ones maybe ill use full cream milk i have to convince him you can eat them even when its not pancake day lol(we always make them for tea on pancake day , maybe ill be able to carry on making them once a week aft) milk is one of the things DS loves hopefully so ill give that ago perhaps ellen will too....anyone got any different ideas for my DS lunchbox at school he doesnt eat bread or crackers (no bread products at all)and doesnt like cheese goodness easier to list what he does eat but any thoughts would be good? as hes back to school tomorrow

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 15:33

Cross posted. He does like fizzy drinks but always think of them as empty calories. The trouble is I'm overweight and it's really hard to get high calorie high fat stuff into my head as not being unhealthy.

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Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 15:41

How about cereal bars? Something really nutty so long as there's no allergies.

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bettyboop63 · 27/02/2011 15:41

here too Ellen im always constantly trying to eat low fat low cholesterol high fibre ect its hard trying to think the other way those belvita bisc's are good though healty too high fibre ect great with some milk

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 15:45

I'll try the Belvita biscuits if I can hide them from DS3!

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cwtch4967 · 27/02/2011 17:24

DS eats lots of fruit but I struggle with getting protein into him - he would happily eat fruit all day long including raw peppers, carrots and cucumber! He will not eat egg, cheese, meat, fish only cocktail sausages and chicken dippers! Bread and butter is fine as long as you don't try to make it a sandwich!!
Used to eat baked beans, mash etc but now only dry finger food - his favourite meal is cocktail sausages, pasta twists and raw peppers. He seems to like dry crunchy things best but loves home made rice pudding (cold) so I make it will full fat milk and cream to make it richer for him. I also make scotch pancakes and he will eat them cold with butter on.

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 17:40

Protein is definitely a problem. He'll eat cheese strings but not 'real' cheese. He doesn't like ham, bacon or unprocessed meat. He'll eat chicken dippers but isn't fond of sausages, even. I can't quite understand how it's got so bad. The other DSs aren't so fussy and DS2 was fine when a baby, he'd eat anything pureed. I think because he eats very little, even when he likes the food, I've got into the habit of pandering to him to get him to eat something. He really wouldn't eat enough ever if given the choice.

Cwtch, your DS sounds like his diet is really healthy if a bit veggie! Will he eat cheese or drink milk? Can he eat nuts safely? Shame about the baked beans. DS2 will eat them but because they are one of 5 a day we over did it a bit and now he's sick of them!

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cwtch4967 · 27/02/2011 18:31

He likes to drink milk but will not touch cheese or nuts! I know I'm a lot luckier them some as he eats so much fruit but we have to hide the fruit bowl as he would eat everything! No problems with constipation though!!!

bettyboop63 · 27/02/2011 18:36

my Ds KNOWS if the dreaded butter/marge is even hidden under the peanutbutter lol not bread other than the toast tho drives me insane hardly anything i can give him for lunch

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 27/02/2011 18:46

How do they know these thing? It's like magic! Peanut butter is good though. My DS won't touch it.

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bettyboop63 · 28/02/2011 13:58

hes gotta be sick of it surely same breakfast for 3 years now for a while he was into ready brek but he wont touch it now lol he was so into ready brek he wanted it for lunch too lucky it was in the summer hols so he had no choice but to get out of that one haha, but lunch omg hes at a new school today what will they thing when they see no bread just a bag of billy bear packet salt n vinegar crisps and a chocolate muffin (thats the only lunch he eats ATM)if you dont give him that he goes without he wont attempt anything else and its not because i have not tried or because im soft but after no lunch 4/5 days in a row you start to worry, hes even picky with the foods he does like ie if you get a diff make of peanut butter he knows even if you put it in the propper jar he knows it tastes different

intothewest · 28/02/2011 14:35

You could try porridge with full fat milk- mashed potato made with f/f milk or cream or soft cheese -
Ds is skinny,but has got a bit bigger lately -he has puddings at school -he likes custard(we buy the pots so the portion is fixed)

Original poster

EllenJane1 · 28/02/2011 14:44

Custard is a possibility, as he's gone off yogurt. He doesn't like porridge or potatoes, fussy little oik. Thanks.

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unpa1dcar3r · 07/03/2011 08:45

Maybe it's just his metabolism. My elder DS (nrly 14) was a right little tubs when younger but as he's got older he's so thin, if he stood sideways and poked his tongue out he'd look like a zip. Weighs about 7.5 stone and is over 5'6".
He has just been diagnosed with anaemia so that may play a part (worth a check???) but I think it's just a family thing- I used to weigh 7.5 stone too at 5'6" up until I hit 40. My dad was the same and my bro is too. Are your family generally on the slim side?
BTW my elder DS eats everything and more!

bettyboop63 · 07/03/2011 11:51

my DD is like that 5'3 and 6 stone at 14 but my other ds is 15 and weighs 1o stone and is only 5'5 but he used to be very underweight now my DS(10) with asd is starting to get a might chubby since discovering peanut butter and swiss roll his diets so limited he doesnt eat a lot but is fixated with bloomin swiss roll why cant he be fixated with cottage cheese or salad grrr

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