ASD and eating
NiniJ55
member
I'm new here.. so forgive me for posting 2 questions in one day 
My son was recently dx with PDD - has been in therapy for the past 2 months now. He went from eating just about anything: beans, rice (favorite), pasta, salmon, chicken, veggies... to now eats basically nothing. He refuses rice which used to be a favorite and loved pasta - won't eat that now either. Every once in a while he will eat with us at dinner - but it's really rare. This has been going on for maybe 6 months or so now (maybe a little less).
he eats toast with jelly. Sometimes frozen pizza, still loves fish, sometimes chicken nuggets (frozen). Breakfast is probably the best meal of the day so I often put chopped spinach in his pancake batter (tastes really good, actually to give me more veggies. Used to love all fruit but now hardly eats those either. He just learned the word no.... so he says no for EVERYTHING. Tristan do you want oatmeal - "NO", Tristan do you want strawberries - "NO". Tristan -"NO" (can i finish my question, kid?).
Is this just a toddler being picky or does this have something to do with his dx?
Any ideas how to over come this? People say he won't starve himself. But I'm worried he actually might if I let him.
Re: ASD and eating
DS sounds like your DS in some ways because he is a very picky eater.
I ended up giving him vitamins and milk. His list is pizza, rice mixed with corn, french fries and peanut butter sandwiches. When we go out to eat, he will eat tater tots and sometimes onion rings.
I barely got him to taste Italian cheese bread from Little Caesar's this past week. I took a bite of it and said "mmm" and he took it and ate it with 3 bites. The daycare teacher said he ate chicken nuggets and he has not eaten them in months. He use to love chicken nuggets.
I am no help but you are not alone.
I'm going to go with normal toddler behavior coupled with ASD desire for change. Both of my guys went through this. The younger one at just over 4 is coming out of it nicely, but the 6 yo is still struggling every. single. meal.
I would continue to offer and encourage him to try new stuff (or old stuff he's refusing) just so it doesn't become a phobia for him. Hopefully he will gradually overcome this stage but if he doesn't you won't be working from the ground up. Read up on "food chaining".
I also think the "he won't starve himself" thing doesn't always hold true with ASD kids. My older DS went to bed without dinner every night for almost a week. He would simply eat larger breakfasts and lunches when he liked the food. You really don't want to get into a battle of wills with one of these guys. Instead I would institute food "play" when he's open. If he likes to cook that helps or even praising him for just putting a food on his tongue, lips, etc.
I like this book. It helped us a lot.
I'm going to go with normal toddler behavior coupled with ASD
ITA! My eldest can be like that with answering no to everything whether he really means it or not. It can be frustrating if you play into it. I would stop asking him and just serve what you're going to serve. If he eats great. If he doesn't have a backup. My eldest likes bread. So if I serve something that I don't know in advance that he doesn't like, he can have a slice of bread to tide him over to the next meal. It sounds like your son is making progress in his therapies and could be going through a period of growth. Sounds like he's trying on this new word.