autitic ds will not eat meals!

[buzzzybee]

hi was just wondering if anybody has any advice? my 3yr old ds will not touch a meal :( he lives on toast doughnuts grapes and chocolate ,refuses anything else. its getting worse and i honestly don't know what 2 do anymore any1 have any advice pls? thanks

that what i was clinging to as ds is at SS now and they have classes about trying new foods and im hoping in that environment rather than home he will see others tying something new like say a strawberry and he might just find one new thing once in blue moon that way they did gethim after 6/8 months too try apple just he wont at home but hes in yr 7 when he goes back new Teacher and new TAs so fingers crossed he finds something , anything new

I will read this thread with interest, just wanted to say our DS is ASD and the same. He cannot sit down to eat-cannot physically sit and refuses most meals, today-he had a few squares of toast while wandering, no lunch at all, some cake and biscuits this PM and just milk for dinner. It's so hard isn't it? And i worry about what he is eating and what he's not eating, and the inability to sit is so frustrating. Will read on for useful tips.

Drivemecrazy, yes i remember the Jim claw!

We have seen Dietitian, sensory trained OT from specialist feeding clinic, food group run by CAMHS and ds has had weekly one to one therapy at CAMHS for over a year. I think i must have read every book about Autism and eating over the years too!

We have been sucessful in getting ds to try a new food (always something similar to what he already eats) but he only tries it once and never actually increases his range of foods.

The CAMHS food group was very interesting, as it was about 'feelings' about food. Ds finds new food very 'confusing', its a bit like how he likes routine, he likes the same food every day, to avoid the unexpected.

what do CAMHS say can happen in years to come can they improve as adults? being as our tastebuds change and die as we grow older will the food sensory issues become less ... i wonder

CAMHS, OT etc have said that sometimes you just have to accept that this is good as it gets! We have tried physical route ie Dietitian, sensory route and 'feelings route and i have lot count of the various methods we have tried over the years, which we keep revisiting, kind of like we go full circle, rather than just give up.

But its not all doom and gloom, i know there are success stories, i have read about them on here things that havent worked for ds, have worked for others, so dont give up.

Yes, DS2 is a grazer as well. He nibbles throughout the day, so I'm sure that's part of why his meals are not huge. But I can live with that.

We just keep trying slowly, and try not to stress over it, as long as he's healthy and eating some healthy choices.