Re: Beyond being a picky eatter... need ideas

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Posted By Gaylen on December 08, 2000 at 02:47:43:

In Reply to: Beyond being a picky eatter... need ideas posted by Darren's Mom on November 27, 2000 at 11:53:29:

Does he gag on all food or just specific smells and textures?

I'd look at some possible physiological causes if you haven't already. Have a comprehensive digestive stool analysis done with Great Smokies Lab to check for digestive problems. My son used to get overgrowths of pathogenic bacteria in his gut that would keep him from wanting to eat.

I'd also consider the possibility that he is just so overwhelmed sensorily that his system freaks out when food is presented. Calming his system down overall could help that some. Some ways to do that could be:

-Gentle vestibular input like swinging or rocking followed by deep pressure done from his toes to hips and fingertips to shoulders held for 7 seconds or as long as he'll allow

-Trigeminal/Cranial stimulation where you lightly touch/rub his face, head and shoulders for one minute followed by deep pressure in the same area for a minute -- he'll hate it at first, so you'll have to make it fun and ease into it -- the trigeminal nerve is the most sensative in the body and stimulating it often calms down all sensory excitability. Many taste sensative kids an eat after several months of doing this several times a day.

- Give him lots and lots of squishes/deep pressure throughout the day especially right before you introduce food

-Find some textured things you could encourage him to mouth

- Consider seeing a Cranial Sacral therapist and/or a chiropracter

In addition to these things, and treating my son's heavy metals toxicity, what helped him branch out his eating was getting him comfortable with food, having it around without the pressure to eat it (you may have to ease into this with your child) and putting little dots of new foods on the foods he would eat. You have to go really slow with this though and kind of ease the new taste in.
Gaylen

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Subject: Re: Re: Beyond being a picky eatter... need ideas

Comments:: Does he gag on all food or just specific smells and textures? : I'd look at some possible physiological causes if you haven't already. Have a comprehensive digestive stool analysis done with Great Smokies Lab to check for digestive problems. My son used to get overgrowths of pathogenic bacteria in his gut that would keep him from wanting to eat. : I'd also consider the possibility that he is just so overwhelmed sensorily that his system freaks out when food is presented. Calming his system down overall could help that some. Some ways to do that could be: : -Gentle vestibular input like swinging or rocking followed by deep pressure done from his toes to hips and fingertips to shoulders held for 7 seconds or as long as he'll allow : -Trigeminal/Cranial stimulation where you lightly touch/rub his face, head and shoulders for one minute followed by deep pressure in the same area for a minute -- he'll hate it at first, so you'll have to make it fun and ease into it -- the trigeminal nerve is the most sensative in the body and stimulating it often calms down all sensory excitability. Many taste sensative kids an eat after several months of doing this several times a day. : - Give him lots and lots of squishes/deep pressure throughout the day especially right before you introduce food : -Find some textured things you could encourage him to mouth : - Consider seeing a Cranial Sacral therapist and/or a chiropracter : In addition to these things, and treating my son's heavy metals toxicity, what helped him branch out his eating was getting him comfortable with food, having it around without the pressure to eat it (you may have to ease into this with your child) and putting little dots of new foods on the foods he would eat. You have to go really slow with this though and kind of ease the new taste in. : Gaylen