ASD and eating habbits

[Marne]

Dh is worried about the way dd2 eats and meal times, it doesn't really bother me as she is still very young 3.5 and i was just as messy (if not more) as a child.

Her main problem is she wont sit still, she sits at a small table with her sister as we havn't got room for a dining room table, her sister is great, will sit nicely (but talks a lot) and uses a knife and fork.

Dd2 seems to pick up a piece of food, wander around the room dotting bits of food in various places, she likes to line her food up infront of the tv and them she will go back and eat it, when she's had enough to eat she will play with whats left by squishing it into a ball.

She used to sit nicely at the table and would return to the table when asked, now she doesn't listen to me as she is to ingrossed with her food and lining things up.

As she has come a long so well in other areas i have kind of let dinner times get out of hand, how can i get her to sit at the table and not wander around squashing food into the furniture?

I dont really have any advice, DS is the same and at the moment because his diet is so poor I basically let him eat how he wants, but I do feel that I am making it difficult for myself in the future.

Im sorry I am no help, but didnt want to read and run, so I will bump it up to see if someone else can help

Thank you, i am happy that she is eating as her sister is really fussy, dh would like her to sit still and not make a mess, i don't think its going to happen.

My DH is the same - he makes a massive issue about hoovering up every single crumb DS makes, or srubbing a spot out of the carpet while giving me evil eyes.

Its even worse as DS 'recycles' what he eats, so he puts it in his mouth, chews it, takes it out, has a look, plays with it, then sometimes he throws it down and soemtimes he actually eats it. I spend alot of my day picking up half-chewed food.

Would some kind of reward system work with your DD? Its been suggested to us but DS has no understanding.

what if you lined up her food actually on the table would that be any help?

ds1 loves his tv so much he will sit back down if its turned off. did take alot of on/off and trying to explain: ds1 sit, tv on with taking him back to his seat. ( i know burn me alive )
but when his daddy is home at dinner time he likes to cuddle up next to him and eat there grrrrrrrrrr.
ds1 doesnt leave food about as ds2 comes along and hoovers it up.
Frasers mum ds1 did have a poor diet but in last couple of weeks he has changed it started with eating peas and went on from there he has eaten fish pie and today a bit of spinach. Think it has come with the understanding of first and then. I am still giving him vits though as will probably all change tmw and it will be just another phase.

my son used to survive on chicken nuggets when he was little now he eats almost anything so theres hope yet that the eating habits will get better

I don't think she has enough understanding for a reward system. We turn the tv off but she will still go up to it and try and turn it back on , also if her sister gets up from the table to go to the loo dd2 will pinch her food. If there is something on the plate she doesn't like she will roll it in to a ball, squash it over the furniture or feed it to the dog. Good job the dog will find the food she's dotted around and eat it up.