Changing Your Aspie's Eating Habits

"My grandson has Asperger’s. He is age 7. His diet consists of cheese, eggs, bread, milk, juice, wieners, fish, hamburgers, chicken, mashed or French fried potatoes and, on occasion, chocolate and bananas. He will eat no pasta, vegetables, or any other fruit. Does this eating problem go along with Asperger’s? How can we get him to change his eating habits?"

Your grandson’s disorder may cause unusual reactions to new foods and he may not want to eat them. To him, they may taste bitter, salty, or just plain awful. They may smell bad (to him). He may dislike the textures of new foods. Consequently, he doesn’t want to eat foods that cause these reactions.

Compared to some other Aspies, your grandson’s diet is not that terrible. He gets protein from eggs, milk, cheese, wieners, fish, hamburger, and chicken  ...grains, which provide B vitamins, from bread and hamburger and hot dog buns  ...some vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, from juice, potatoes, chocolate, and bananas  ...and calcium and vitamin D from milk and cheese.

All in all, his diet could be worse and is not much different from what many neurotypical children eat. However, his diet would be more nutritious if he ate more fruits, vegetables, and grains. 

Perhaps he would try some whole grain cereals. Many Asperger's children like Life cereal or Cheerios. See if he likes popcorn, which is a whole grain (don’t load it up with a lot of butter, though). Try whole grain breads, hamburger and hot dog buns. He might like whole grain rice. Try it mixed in a cheese and chicken casserole. Most children like macaroni and cheese. See if he does. Try tacos made with whole grain tortillas, hamburger, and cheese. You might be able to sneak in some chopped tomato and onion. Use low fat hamburger and 1% milk.

See if he will drink different types of fruit juices. There are new ones on the market that are delicious and have a serving of fruit and one of vegetables in each glass. Many fruits may taste sour to him. If he likes cereal, slice half of a banana on it. Canned peaches and pears are sweet and may appeal to him. Cut up fruits into bite sized pieces so they are easy to eat. Don’t chastise him if he doesn’t eat them; maybe in the future he will. Make small apple or blueberry muffins. He might like them, too. Yogurt with fruit is an option you could try.

As far as vegetables are concerned, it may be an uphill road! But, sometimes vegetables can be hidden in other foods, for example, in those juices mentioned above. How about putting some onion in his hamburger? Potatoes are vegetables and he likes them! Try oven frying the French fries instead of frying in oil. Blend some cooked cauliflower into his mashed potatoes. He may not notice the difference. He may like sweet potatoes. He might like creamed corn or cornbread. Does he eat any soup, such as pea soup or vegetable? You could try tomato soup made with milk -- he might like it. If you put finely chopped, frozen carrots and peas in a chicken/cheese casserole, he might eat them. Avocado has a bland taste, and you could mix it into his hamburger patties.

It’s very important not to make “a big deal” about what he doesn’t eat. If you do, eating will become a power struggle. Offer various new foods along with ones he likes. If he doesn’t like them, don’t make an issue of it. Some battles aren’t worth constant fighting, especially when his diet isn’t too bad to begin with. Keep serving some new foods along with the old ones. Avoid serving soda pop and sweets so he doesn’t fixate on them.

My last suggestion is to make sure he has a multivitamin each day. Get one that is chewable, tastes good, and has a cute shape. Also, drinking Ensure or Pediasure is a good way to supplement his diet with vitamins and minerals.


COMMENTS:

•    Anonymous said... Ahh. The die game. It's typical. You just described my son, he just turned 8. Mostly salty or sweet stuff and mostly all carbs, thank god for eggs ad chicken. Yup, he's typical. If you can, prepare burgers with puréed veggies in them, be careful though, they have extremely sensitive palates and an detect any changes in the usual preparation. I put a beaten egg into chicken noodle soup to get extra protein. You gotta be discrete. Yogurt is good for the fruits, and dark chocolate is better, I feel for u, but, they are hard to change. And punishment isn't the answer, you are only required to provide food, it's up to him to eat it, he won't starve, remember that. You're awesome as a grand mom to be involved in his life like this, bless you:) if he tries one we thing a week, that's progress, just put a bit on his plate and say leave it there. Chances are they always try it;) in my experience. Good luck. And as long as he's thriving, he's ok.
•    Anonymous said... Exactly our issue here. We are starting food therapy on Sept.
•    Anonymous said... feeding therapy through OT
•    Anonymous said... Food issues are such a problem for my 7 year old she only weighs 30lbs. She has had problems eating since she was born. I couldnt nurse her and she wouldn't take a bottle easily. We had to give her pedisure for the longest time. We blended it like a smoothie and thankfully she likes strawberries. However pedisure is not cheap, so today I make her lots of smothies with whole milk, fresh fruit, strawberry powder, flax seeds, vitamin d oil, and multivitamins. She drinks this mixture 2x a day. And I keep the the fruit in the freezer so her drink is extra cold. I think her sensitivity is in her throat because she will actually start choking on anything that is not routine food for her, so the cold smoothie I think is vey soothing to her. The best advice I can give is to be patient and dont ever give up. Lately my daughter has been real interested in gardening, she wants to plant, grow, and eat her own fruits and veggies. Which is a huge leap forward for us. Hang in there it will get better.
•    Anonymous said... Get someone to tell him he needs to eat other things, we did this through the naturopath as my 8 year old is gluten and diary intollerant , I have two on the spectrum and definitely there is a huge change in behavior since changing diet, it is a known fact that most kids on the spectrum have a leaky gut and processed foods cause great discomfort for the person and in turn this causes irratation and bad moods
•    Anonymous said... Google Natasha Mcbride GAPS. Amazing stuff.
•    Anonymous said... I gave my kids the choice, they had to pick any 3 out of the whole spectrum of vegetables, and they had to agree to eat them whenever they were on their plate. We discussed what each type of food does for our bodies (meat makes me strong, rice gives me energy, carrots help me see, etc). Sometimes get a whinge out of them but they agreed to it and I feel that they have a balanced diet.
•    Anonymous said... I would be thrilled if my 12-year old son with Autism ate that much! He eats VERY few things and drinks ONLY chocolate milk and sweet tea. (I semi-jokingly say that the chocolate milk has kept him alive.) I also have to practically force him to eat, yes, his favorite things. It's like his body and his brain don't communicate with each other, so he doesn't even know he's hungry.
•    Anonymous said... I'd just be thankful for the protein here. My son has SOOO many allergies he's diet is limited.
•    Anonymous said... It can absolutely be related. Sensory issues on the spectrum can make eating an absolute chore. The villain isn't just taste either, texture can play a large part in the eating issues of spectrumites. Veggies and fruits are big culprits in this. Lots of them have tough textures, leaving a stringy feeling or tiny hard seeds, while others can be so mushy it can be likened to slime. Try lots of different cooking and preparation methods for each fruit/veg. When one method doesn't work, put it on the back burner and wait a bit before trying something else. Introduce the foods slowly, and one at a time. One thing that really helped with my son, is to encourage him to just try everything. I really emphasize that it is perfectly a-ok not to like something. Anytime he tries something new, he gets gigantic praise, even if he doesn't like it. It has taken a while, but I've found he actually has an interesting pallate (he LOVES beets, for example) Best of luck getting your kiddo to eat well
•    Anonymous said... It will come in time My daughter is almost 9 and the same way. They will be curious about new foods. My aspie feel that by repeating foods that she like is because she "knows" what to expect in taste and texture. She is sometimes afraid to try new foods because of not having another choice if she doesn't like it. Don't worry it'll change.
I have a friend who's kid is not on the spectrum at all and won't eat nothing but nuggets, hotdogs and pizza!
•    Anonymous said... Like the article answer said, his diet really isn't that bad...he eats fish, eggs and hamburger! The ONLY meat my son will eat is chicken, and only in the form of chicken nuggets/tenders. And they have to be specific kinds, he won't eat different kinds of chicken tenders he hasn't had before. He eats mac and cheese, but only specific kinds, if there is anything different about the noodles he won't touch them. He will eat grilled cheese, but only if made a certain way. Extremely limited as far as what he will try and how things have to be cooked/presented.
•    Anonymous said... Mine won't eat meat
•    Anonymous said... My 7 year old Aspie used to be very picky. He would only eat crackers and cheese for the longest time. Over time I have turned trying new foods into a game or told him that he had to try it at least once. If he didn't like it he didn't have to eat it. Ever since I started doing those two things he has really broadened his palette. His favorite thing is avocados! Who would have thought! The other thing I do is take advantage of his thirst for knowledge and show him how processed foods are made and what they contain and that quickly made him rethink his food choices. I hope some of these ideas help.
•    Anonymous said... My 9 yr olds son's diet is fairly limited too. Breakfast is probably the worst meal of the day. He will eat one thing every day for months until he's sick of it and then we have a battle to find something else to eat
•    Anonymous said... My almost 10 year old still eats a limited diet. The most frustrating is that he won't eat beef, chicken, or pork (and I cook a lot of chicken). If he eats any meat at all, it's processed. On a good note though, he loves fruits and veggies. He is on the skinny side for sure but he is healthy. We don't do food battles in this house. I spent too much time with him standing over the sink throwing up when he was little by trying to force the issue. He has added a small amount of foods over the years (but not many).
•    Anonymous said... My aspie daughter has tons of sensory issues. she was seen for two years by a kenesiologist to help de-sensitize her to these things. among them are several food such a almost all fruit. His suggestion was to offere the healthy foods and not the unhealthy foods and when she was hungry enough she would eat. We made it mandatory that she ate 1 strawberry or 2 raspberries, 1 piece of broccoli before she got to eat anything else. We served it on a separate plate with only the veggie on it and told her once she eats that small portion she could have the rest of the meal. I sat there with her until she did, the rest of us would eat our full supper. If she chose not to eat her meal and was hungry later then her food was waiting for her. The rule was, you don't have to like it, but you do have to eat it to be healthy. I made sure it was never punitive. If she made a fit at the table she went to bed until she was ready to comply. Bad manners at the table has never been tolerated in our home. A child having apergers still needs to be taught appropriate behaviour and not to be allowed to scream and throw tantrums and be demanding. My aspie is not 15 and she knows how to behave as I taught her the same way I taught her non-aspie sister who has ADHD and ODD. We use behaviour Modification Therapy here. Even as teens. The sooner you start teaching your child what is appropriate and what is not, the easier the battle, I started with my kids as soon as they are aged 2. Children's aid was so impressed that they approved our homestudy to adopt a child with fetal alcohol and prenatal drug effects who is possibly on the ASD. She is now five and has many challenges accepting limitations but I am doing exactly what I did with my older two and we are currently in the process of adopting from Children's Aid again. We are looking at a sibling group under 5 with special needs. You teat them as a non-challenged child but with eyes and heart open to the increased difficulty and challenges they face. The onus is on the Adult to remain calm, be consistent and fair and to not make excuses because they have Aspergers. If the parents fully accept their child for who they are, the child will accept themselves and you will have a happier and better behaved child.
•    Anonymous said... My boy ate nothing until 2.5 years, lived on milk hated textures. Meal times were a nightmare! He was underweight for awhile so I let him eat what ever he wanted, then we changed his diet to organic and gluten free. He loves sushi, salmon and vege is his favourite and yesterday (he's 7) he said he loves meat after declaring at 3 to be a vegetarian superhero. So stick with it, talking to him about how his body works and the fuel it needs really helps I think he is sensitive to chemicals, he can sniff them out as hard as it is going organic and gluten free I believe "fixed" the problem, he notices the difference at school etc so he is happy to stick with it
•    Anonymous said... My daughter's diet is limited but thankfully, fairly healthy. Grocery shopping is pretty easy...as long as they don't stop carrying those essential items!
•    Anonymous said... My grandson is 19 yrs old. He has ate chicken strips his whole life. Sometimes tacos. No fruits . Only green beans n any potatoes except baked.
•    Anonymous said... My son eats everything! He was eating salad before he was 1 year old. I always wondered if it had anything to do with what he was fed when we started solid foods. He did not get "jarred baby food" I made his food. After fruits and veggies were introduced I went strait to pureeing what we had for dinner. My daughter on the other hand who is not AS had "jarred baby food" because I was working at the time and it was just easier. She is extremely picky and won't touch the food if she doesn't think she will like it. She just recently started trying foods and eating more veggies. She has always ate fruit.
•    Anonymous said... My son Is the same way except he will not eat even if he does get hungry.
•    Anonymous said... My son would eat fruit 24 hours a day if I would let him. He used to eat everything but salmon and when he got MRSA and started showing signs of Autism his diet changed overnight. We've been working hard for years to get him to eat his food that we cook and we all eat. There are somethings we might have to adjust from what the rest of us are eating. But any food that is white he won't touch and he likes his veggies HAVE to be raw not cooked. Like I'll make his own sauce separate from what we eat. Ours son's school started this thing called Say Yes to No. The Idea is getting them to do things or say yes to things they would normally say no to. Or accept a response of being told no. He gets a star that we put his name on and he takes it back to school and the stars are put in a jar and at the end of the week a star is drawn and the kids get a prize. At home when we do it, if he gets so many we go do something of his choice whether it be a movie, going out to eat ect. It does make a difference on the yes to no.
•    Anonymous said... oh yes this went on for a long time. I stioll give my non aspie V8 fusion. I also puree veggies into pasta sauce
•    Anonymous said... Our 10 year old diet eats a good variety of food I think, but nothing can touch, no sauce or gravy etc as that makes food touch, it has to be the same brands he always has and food has to be cooked a certain way I.e his sausages must be grilled he will not eat them barbequed, trout and salmon must be wrapped in foil and cooked in the oven, not grilled or pan fried or steamed etc. if his food touched, was a different brand or cooked the wrong way it would cause a panic like reaction and retching.
•    Anonymous said... Thank you all for your comments. My 7 year old son is the same as the one mentioned in the original statement. Food is a constant issue (not a war, because it is one battle I don't want to deal with everyday), but my family is concerned. And now he needs to lose some weight because of what he eats. It is very difficult, so I thank you for all your suggestions!!!
•    Anonymous said... that is not uncommon - Aspies often have rigid food limitations and it can be hard to get them to bend. I suggest getting one of the cook books about how to sneak veg and fruit into a kids food without them knowing - one was done by Seinfeld's wife, I know that. My son got much more flexible on some things as he got older, especially when they are getting into puberty - their appetite can expand their tastes, too. Just keep trying to introduce other foods, maybe in some combination with the ones he likes - like make strawberry milk with his milk, and some natural sweetener like xylosweet and strawberries - just strain out the seeds before you serve it to him - like a thin smoothie - he might like it - then you can expand that to other fruits, and that is an easy way to sneak in a bit of veg like kale and such, too. Home baked breads are a good way to sneak stuff in, too!
•    Anonymous said... The doctor actually told us as long as there is bread and water on the table. They will be fine!
•    Anonymous said... The thing I do with my son is give him the motivation to try something new. We discuss healthy eating etc and he knows he's not allowed dessert until he's eaten most of his dinner. It's not a quick fix. It takes time to logically discuss and find that motivator. I'm lucky my son is so rigid about having dessert!
•    Anonymous said... This is very common, oversensitivity to flavors, smells textures. My son (8) has just now started eating "normal" food (cheese pizza, chow mein, steak, and a wide variety of vegetables) - before he at pasta, plain bread, cereal, apples, carrots, cheese, and protein bars (no meat, no other dairy, no other produce, nothing with sauce, no sandwiches, no peanut butter...) I had to supplement with calcium and multivitamins. I agonized over this for many years, the only thing you can do is wait. The list you provided is not that bad, so try not to worry. Find a good, whole food organic fruit/veggie supplement at the health food store if you're worried about the lack of fresh fruit and veggies. Check what their return policy, good supplements are expensive, if he doesn't like it, take it back and keep trying until you find one he likes.
•    Anonymous said... We use rewards as for trying new foods and after a while he begins to like the foods. As for being sneaky, he loves v8 juices and we do give him that to drink at least he gets some veggies and fruits that way.
•    Anonymous said... When our 15 year old is exposed to a new situation I have to preface that he only eats "white" foods. He use to call himself a carb piranha. He will eat bananas and apples, when peeled. Very typical and we sneak in the protein with peanut butter and protein bars. Thank goodness we started him on balance bars as a two year old!!
•    Anonymous said... Wow he eats a really varied diet compared to my grandkids!
•    Anonymous said... wow what an insightful child you have! Is that because they know it is an animal? Very inspiring!
•    Anonymous said... Wow! I think your lucky! We are basically chicken strips, fish sticks, and cheese pizza here. And he is brand and restaurant specific. Only certain brands and only certain things at certain place. It drives me insane! A lot of it is a texture thing. He is currently doing OT to try and help with that. He likes the taste of canned peaches but cannot eat them without choking and gagging. He doest like the "slippery" fruits.
•    Anonymous said... wow! that is a GREAT diet! I wish my son ate such a variety. My son just eats certain pasta, pizza, chicken nuggets and certain cereals. Sometimes a banana or apple. He also likes certain cakes or pringles. But that's it. I wish he ate fish and drank juice or milk.
•    Anonymous said... You asked if this eating problem goes along with Aspergers...Welcome to the World of Autism. Yes, indeed it does.
•    Anonymous said... your very lucky my kid only eats grilled cheese,pizza,cereal, milk,french fries,pancakes I cant get him to eat any meats

Please post your comment below…

36 comments:

  1. My ASPIE son will only eat Pizza & Burgers!

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  2. My son eats all fruits & veggies. He is 5 with Aspbergers. Try dips with the veggies, yogurt for fruit. My son LOVEs cottage cheese & fruit, peaches, pineapple & clementines. Apple with carmel dip, that is a major treat for Vance, or usr peanut butter.........

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  3. My Aspie will only eat pasta!! He eats fruits and veggies, but when it comes to meat, we have to beg him to eat it.

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  4. My Aspie eats almost only fruits n veggies, raw, very healthy but doesn't eat eggs, nuts beans cheeses or meat, I am not a fan of milk, but he gets protein no other way! I try to sneak a god egg white protein into shakes for him. He has tactile sensory processing disorder, super senses I call them, he can taste even the tiniest bit of change in any thing he eats or drinks. He is 10, he just started to eat 1 cooked fresh veggie, lol it's asparagus ;) We will gt there, it's just a slow process, ;)

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  5. LOTS of protein, good for him! My son is the opposite - loves his veggies (ALL veggies) and fruits, but will eat only certain meats i.e. fish, hamburger, ham. Likes french fries but will NOT eat any other kind of potato, likes pasta noodles, especially the tri-colored rotini. He's 12 yrs old and has only gotten to like spaghetti in the past year or so. But to answer your question - YES. Every aspie I know is a picky eater, but not your typical picky eater. Their choices often make no sense whatsoever (like my son and the french fries but no other kind of potato). Most often it's not the taste that's the issue, but the texture of the food. Good luck!

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  6. My 5 year old eats ham sandwiches , fish in batter and cereal and biscuits!!!. He likes plain dry food, nothing with any moisture. He's funny about textures, for example mashed potatoes makes him heave. It's hard work don't ever feel like he's getting enough goodness. If I give him the option of eating and going to bed he chooses bed everytime!

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  7. My granny always said "Choose your battles". At least he's eating some good stuff! If he won't eat veggies and fruit make sure he's getting a good multi-vitamin. Their tastebuds change all the time.

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  8. I to have a 15 yr old Aspergers whom is very limited in in diet. Change in any aspect is not ''working progress with him. What do we do as there getting older. There body changes..there meds' change. With developing medical problems.How do we change there eating habits? How do we keep Happy and Healthy Aspie children?.

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  9. my 7 year old Aspie will only eat a handful of things with chicken nugetts, pizza and fries his main diet. I would love and have tried to get him to try other things but he either refuses or will take a bte and spit it right out.

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  10. He eats alot compared to mine! He only eats hamburgers / popcorn /steak w-a1 sauce. Hardly ever eats vegies or fruit. Willon occasion eat watermelon. So i say yes it goes with it. He seems to b eating alot more than my child will. Is he healthy weight! I read a book were some have set menu for set day and they didnt vary from there routine. Would only eat according to color!

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  11. My son is also a picky eater. He will NOT eat meat, although he likes sushi and occasionally popcorn chicken. He will eat fruit, limited veggies (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, beans) rice, and french fries but no other kind of potato and of course junk food and chocolate. I've been giving him a protein shake every day for several years now to make sure he's getting enough protein and nutrients. He also takes a multi-vitamin, b complex, d3, magnesium and fish oil - all gummies. He has issues with colors, textures, smells and where the food came from.

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  12. Mine is 10, almost only eats veggies n fruits, raw, its a texture issue for sure with him, as he only wears same clothes over and over as well, protein is hard to get in him, he doesn't eat cheese, beans, or eggs. An egg white protein powder is what I use at times mixed into an ice cream shake, usually with his "super senses" he tastes it and wont drink it.

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  13. My son who is 14 will drink oj,and chocolate milk..foods consist of French fries,cheese pizza,sopas and Mac n cheese...and hamburger buns with ketchup,he will touch no meat,veggies or fruits...my 16 yr old will eat,pepperoni pizza,corn dogs,French fries,chicken nuggets,fish sticks and drinks oj and will drink milk..only fruits peaches(soft) pears (hard) won't eat meats but bologna and wiennies..

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  14. I am lucky mine eats everything. except no pickles or onions but then again thats most kids.Eating no veggies is typical little boys to me, lol. Mine loves chinese food, I think that is so funny.

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  15. My 10 year old Aspergers son will only it pizza. We have to force him to eat everything else.which does bring on tantrums.

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  16. your lucky lol my sosn eats pn and j no crust doritos cheese and apples it goes hand in hand with sensory issues

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  17. I have an 8 year old Aspie and he's also extremely picky. He eats chicken plain, no seasonings, plain burgers, corn and a select few other foods. He has a lot of issues with textures and his foods absolutely cannot touch each other on his plate. I try to get him to taste new foods but he's not interested at all. For now I just feed him what he will eat and give him a multivitamin.

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  18. My 5 yr old has a very limited diet as well. I was told to not force her to eat things she doesn't want, and try to introduce new foods sometimes. My daughter always smells her food. If it smells "off" she wont eat it.

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  19. Mine is like that too, but his menu is more limited, especially the real food. He loves fries, white chocolate Reeses cups, london broil, fried pork chops with a certain type bbq sauce, and a few other things. The ONLY way we can get him to eat veggies is to get him Brunswick stew (it has chicken, bbq'ed pork, green beans, corn, lima beans, etc., in a tomato based sauce) and I have to pick out the potatoes and the big chunks of chicken and bbq (even though he likes bbq). He also won't eat hardly anything left over that's been in the fridge. There are only a few exceptions.

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  20. my son extremely picky for along time. Still considered extremely picky by some but has came a long way. wont eat cooked veggies only raw one. no fruit except apples and occasional banana. pretty good at eating meat or grainy bready food groups. no juice really only choc milk or pop. no pasta, casseroles or things that have mixed foods. when little was worst. doc told me not to worry give vitamins or have him drink ensure or pediasure. all kids go through picky stuff. just try to encourage new things. I think a lot of it with my son was due more to ocd then his ASD. Picky about things being kept seperate and doesnt like certain textures.

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  21. My beloved Aspie also has a limited diet and is very brand specific. His rigidity is socially and logistically restrictive for my whole family. We've been participating in a feeding clinic for almost six months and are slowly, but surely expanding his diet and improving his nutrition. I encourage other parents to seek professional help if you are concern about your picky eater.

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  22. Hi there... I think it depends on the child. My son has Asperger's and when he was younger he would only eat vegetarian things - and homemade bread that I made - no meat, hotdogs.. none of the "normal" kid stuff. I've learned over the year's that as his sensory needs change so do his eating habits (along with other things) - sensory is huge with Asperger's - he is now 16 and still eats very healthy, but he has to add things - for a sandwich of any kind (and this is gross to me) he adds mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauce and ranch dressings - it's like he has to have all of these flavors. Last night I fixed Fettuccine for supper and he added ranch dressing - strange, but that's what he needs to do..... he eats a whole lot more now, but still not a lot of junk... one good thing is that his biological father's family had a rule of "try it", this helped my son - now, mind you, he will try it, but he may not ever it again! For him this was a good thing because it gave him insights to other flavors and textures (sensory)... hope this helps! The best to your family!

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  23. My 12 year old was opposite at that age...she craved new foods and tried combinations that would gross out her classmates...like using mustard instead of salad dressing at school lunch. My now six year old son has had a lot of trouble being able to stand to try new foods though and it is starting to get better. They are all aspies but not a like in every way so while it may be part of it for him, it may not be for someone else. My husband actually sat down with my son and talked to him about the importance of good nutrition to grow up big and strong and now he is facinated by "protein" and we used to not be able to get any meat down him for anything! You can also sneak in new foods once in a while by adding it to something you know he likes. Get things to dip veggies in. Another big thing that has helped both of my special needs babies is letting them help more in the kitchen! They love to eat foods that they have helpd make!

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  24. my aspergers daughters/husband and grandchild all picky eaters,love thier carbs,hate fruit,love fish and chicken,only eat certain veg,it can become an oppositional thing if you dwell on it,you can not make a/s child eat food they hate,mine all have good multi vit and mineral,

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  25. My 5yr old son mainly eats white foods ie potatoes cauliflour vanilla icecream but lately we've been using a divided plate and he's attempted other foods but we've just been advised to let him eat wat he chooses

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  26. Food issues seem to go hand in hand with aspergers. My son would not allow his food to touch the food next to it on the plate for the longest of time. Runny soup upsets him. He stresses if a meal is late or if he is told don't touch food on other peoples plates. He's not so much fussy with what he eats but how it's prepared.

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  27. my son did food therapy for 3 years because his sensory issues with food was so severe he had started to lose weight. In the past year he started eating more meats, he used to eat at least 3 vegetables but we're down to just peas. He will eat an apple, peeled not cut. He still won't any red foods. He used to eat yogurt but he still drinks milk. It's a fight but his doctor says he fine so I don't push too much.

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  28. 2 out of 3 of my sons are picky eaters(one has autism/ one has aspergers).....my oldest will eat Ramen noodles everyday all day if i let him.....but, I had to introduce all sorts of other foods for him to atleast have him try them atleast a bite or two. My other son, will eat mac-n-cheese all day everyday if i let him...but, now we have found he loves to try other foods if we make him try it without him looking at it or if we let him explore the store and he gets to pick out a veggie of his choice ....when we get them involved in shopping and picking out food and when they help cook they try different foods.
    17 hours ago · Like · 1

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  29. Another suggestion...if some of your kids like mashed potatoes but not veggies you can make mashed cauliflower and mix in the mashed potatoes and they won't know the difference, My kids don't drink milk often either, so i give them yogurt and they think of it as a treat and they get their calcium from it and cheese. Also you can try sweet potatoes fries to try a different type of french fry that is healthier.

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  30. We have managed to get fruit and veg into my now 4yr old, we juce it, We found that he loves to juice, although he would "La la la la la la" ! to start with through the whole process, he gets upset now if he can't juice!. he is very fussy about what he eats but when we juice he tells me what to put in it!.. :)

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  31. Our son was diagnosed at the age of 3 with Aspergers!..

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  32. yes it does. going gluten free and casein free is the first step in treating Aspergers. Our kids have brain allergies. Contact me if you are ready to help your kid.

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  33. t's Janine of Recipe for Recovery. I helped my son lose his diagnosis, it is hard work, but the sooner you start, the better your outcome. Contact me.

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  34. Glad to read here that some have had success. The original post describes our 7yo aspie son's diet almost precisely! Not alone that's for sure. And if child is anything like ours, you'd stand a better chance of bending steel than introducing new foods with success. Whilst there are some great suggestions out there - in all fairness - you can only do your best as a positive role model and ensure a range of healthy food options are always available in your home. At end of the day, one (very particular) mouth decides. Often it's a case of improving as time goes on (per Dr Tony Attwood). Yet to find a nutritionist who can provide us with WORKABLE solutions. The ones we've seen just don't get it. Waste of time & money. We have however had some luck in sneaking very finely grated fruit or vege into smoothies or muffins. Good luck - and don't beat yourself (or child's parents) up - it's a long term thing and so often people are quick to judge :)

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  35. My son's tastes have changed many times. He has come to like things he disliked in the past, and dislike things he loved as a little one. Many foods are no longer on his list of acceptable for ingestion. This problem is common and hard to win. Forcing unwanted [intolerable] food to an Aspergers child is like forcing them to do anything else they cannot cope with.
    Children's gummy vitamins.

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  36. We had some success with our Grandson, who is now 11, by telling him someone he admired liked what we were attempting to get him to try. This worked to some degree with foods & other things like shoes. When he was preschool age we had a horrible time getting him into new shoes until we convinced him that "Papas (his Grandfather) has shoes just like that," or Papas loves broccoli, or whatever.

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