food issues - refusing to eat if anyone so much as clears their throat

[othermother]

Hi,
DS (6 and verbal dx of as) has for the last 6 months or so started to react very strongly if anyone in the same room so much as clears their throat/ coughs/ burps/ hiccups/ sniffs/ farts etc whilst he is eating. Now I understand that these things could put someone off their food, but it's the slightest hint of of a noise that sounds like any of the above and his reaction is extreme. Today for instance my dd bit into a tomato and it made a squelching noise, so ds spat out his food and refused his meal, then went on a screaming fit ranting at dd for making the noise.

It doesn't matter what it is he's eating, it could even be a bag of his favourite sweets. He'll spit out whatever is in his mouth and then throw the rest of his food in the bin (a step up from on the floor which is what he first started doing). He then gets in a rage and screams and shouts at whoever made the noise. It's got now that we try to eat away from him, but that's not always possible.

He always asks for more food once he's got rid of the "contaminated" food, so it's not as though he's doing it as an excuse 'cos he's not hungry.

Anyone know if this is as related? And any tips on how to get him out of doing this please?
Thanks.

Hi Other, ds is 6 and also has a verbal dx of ASD.

Ds is very much like this, not with noise, but his food is often 'contaminated' by other things and it appears to be very sensory related.

Is the food that he asks for after 'contaminated' food is binned, the same as what he has just been eating?

Hi Claw, yes, he wants exactly the same food. On a typical morning when everyone's rushing around getting ready for work/school etc it seems that someone will put him off his cereal (cornflakes, he doesn't like other cereals)so he will refuse it, and then want another bowl straight away. Some days I have to make 3 or 4 bowls of cereal as I won't send him to school hungry, and there is no way on earth he will eat the food that's been contaminated.

He does have a lot of sensory issues, he's the child who licks everything and puts non food stuff in his mouth. It seems odd that he worries about his food being contaminated yet he hates having his hands washed and will happily put anything and everything in his mouth, lick the ground etc...

With ds, he finds it difficult to use more than one sensory channel at a time. For example being able to concentrate when there is lots of noise.

Could it be the rushing around that is overwhelming him?. My experience with ds is the more he feels out of control the more he wants to control and this usually manifests itself with food.

Is your ds over-responsive to other noises?

Is your ds ok with routine or changes to it?

I don't think it's the rushing around that causes, I gave that example cos mornings are when there are more people up and about and therefore more likely that someone will make a noise he finds off putting. It doesn't matter if there's only one other person in the room as him, or even if he's alone and there's a noise on the telly. It's definitely the noise that puts him off.
He's not much bothered by other noises, apart from fireworks, in fact he seems to love loud music and he shouts a lot too. He's very hyperactive and loud.
Routine, he's not too bad with, but to be fair I'm one of the most disorganised people I know. His teacher (also the senco) has said at school he gets upset at change in routine ie hates PE cos it's not in his classroom etc. shrugs He's a complex character.

Oh yes ds is definitely complex! Its difficult isnt it trying to unravel their thinking!

At the moment ds is refusing any food that has been cooked in the oven, because its 'contaminated' with worms. From what i can make of it 'worms' are any form of imperfection or discolouration.

Has he said why he thinks its 'contaminated'?

Lol at the worms! :D

It's the air that is contaminated once someone has coughed or whatever. He even wafts away the air around his face if I sniff in the same room, oh, and he hates anyone breathing near him. Strangely he likes farting in my face and thinks it's hilarious, but like almost every rule, they only apply to other people and not to him.

Ds is very much like that, no one but me is allowed to touch his food, plate, bag or whatever as they have 'germs'.

Have you tried ear phones and music as he eats?

Although i get the feeling, it will just be something else, like he has SEEN someone cough or whatever.

Sounds very similar to my ds, and whatever ds's 'excuse' is, 'worms' 'germs' or whatever, it boils down to being in control, doing it his way so there is no unexpected, if its done his way.

Ds is currently receiving counselling at CAMHS and going to a feeding clinic, still early days, so no real practicial advice yet to pass on to you im afraid.

That makes complete sense about being in control so there's no unexpected. I'd never thought of it like that before, thanks.
He's not been referred to CAMHS at all, just sees the paed every so often and are waiting forever for an OT appointment. I do wish that there was more actual support out there for things like this. I never know how to deal with his behaviours, and it seems life's a constant battle at the moment. My other 4 kids were a piece of cake compared to Tom.
Thanks for your replies Claw3, much appreciated x

I have an appointment at the feeding clinic on Thursday, will add a watch to the thread and let you know if they give me any useful advice or tips if you think that might be helpful?

Its nice to meet someone who is having a similar problem with 'contaminated' food!

Bit of an after thought, have you tried visual timetables the idea being if you lesson general anxiety about the unexpected if will make the most stressful times ie eating more tolerable and social stories about coughing, farting etc etc?

DS1 (who has a few AS traits) had to wear ear defenders at the dinner table until recently.

He focuses on any noise DS2 (who has AS) makes at the table (unfortunately he is a "gobbler").

He also has a major meltdown if anyone mentions anything even vaguely yucky at the table and will leave his food.

I was brought up in a medical household where disgusting ailments were regularly discussed over dinner and I struggle to remember to accomodate DS1's issues (hence the great clootie dumpling skin/burst blister meltdown at New Year (you will understand if Scottish)).