A little bit fruity!

I wrote the following in February, 2014.

 "I continue to worry about the cereal problem; and let's be frank here; eating cereal three times a day is not good. Thankfully I have friends who kindly kicked some sense into me and motivated me to start making changes. So, I have decided to start *the big food change*.

I tested the water by giving Nick the same evening meal as us; it didn't go down too well and I realised that the jump was too big for him. I needed to start off with a familiar food and slowly introduce new tastes and experiences. Fruit was going to be the best option to start with"

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To date, all is going well and we continue to move forward one step at a time. Nick is still having cereal (the healthiest one possible!); however, it is only once a day and it is for breakfast.

Lunch time is the easiest option to introduce new foods as this is when I have more time to devote to making any changes. Nick has a freshly homemade fruit and vegetable juice for lunch, which generally consists of an orange, a small handful of baby spinach, two carrots and an apple. I always add in a fifth/sixth ingredient, depending what I have in the fruit bowl or fridge. Admittedly we are a bit stuck on having the same old juice but I am applying the concept *same but different* to introduce slight variations.*In order for Nick to not become 'stuck' on having a juice every day of the week, we do miss the occasional day.

Nick has always enjoyed eating apples, therefore I decided to use them as a starting point. Bananas were introduced as a second fruit; and as with anything new, I gave him two little pieces to try. Initially when we first started on this new food journey, Nick dug in his heels and refused to eat. I helped scaffold the situation by letting him know (visually) that he could eat his fruit and then have some toast! A little bit of bribery did the trick, although during the first few days Nick would sit there looking at the fruit for a good half an hour before eventually giving in! My only rule was that Nick wasn't allowed to leave the table without my permission. If he did leave, I made a little noise to get his attention and then indicate that he needed to come back. Amazingly he did!

We are still on the apple and banana combo, however, each day I put something different on his plate. Yep, that *same but different* concept! He is never wildly delighted with new tastes but will now endeavor to try them. There is also no more sitting there frowning at the food, although he will often try to feed me the *other stuff*. I just shake my head for "no" and he will pop it into his own mouth. Voilà, all over in seconds!

To be honest we still have a long way to go on this crazy food journey, although Nick has made some good progress in only a few months. He has gone from being the kid who refused to try new food (and was slowly eliminating all other familiar food except for cereal, toast and apples) to increased flexibility about trying something different. I haven't made food into an issue and I am slowly and carefully adding further variations/tastes. 

I threw my boy another little challenge today. Spot the difference! 

Anyone else out there having problems over food?

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I am linking up with Ethan's Escapes #SSAmazingAchievements.... cos he is so cute! :-)

Food issues

My boy has such a restrictive diet and I have been mulling over ways on how to deal with this issue.


I happened to read this post from the Horizons Develpmental Resource Centre, called Picky Eater or Problem Feeder. They mentioned that "Kay Toomey and associates developed the Sensory-Oral-Sequential Approach to Feeding (SOS) which is the preferred treatment methodology for picky eaters and problem feeders alike". Aha, I thought..... this looks interesting, this looks like it could help my boy. My gut (pun intended!!) feel is that Nick's food issues all stem from his sensory profile. 


So, I googled Kay Toomey and the Sensory-Oral-Sequential Approach to Feeding (SOS).


I was absolutely gobsmacked (yes, pun intended!!) when I saw the google links for SOS! The third link was for Jacob's Journey: SOS feeding program!!!! Hah, Havest Moon......... this was definitely *THE* sign that I was on the right track. I have been following this amazing mother for YEARS!


Harvest Moon ~ Jacobs Journey
"The program is called the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) approach, and a concise description of it (and why it would be used) can be found here. Basically, it takes the understanding that these kids' feeding problems are based on sensory issues, and works on slowly desensitizing them to the overwhelming effect that food has on their senses. In a nutshell, you start by getting them to tolerate being near food, then progress to getting them to touch it, smell it, and eventually taste it. From looking at it to taste is a pretty long road, taken at micro-steps, but in the end should result in a child without an eating disorder, and without any trauma induced by the method"

Me thinks that this is the way I need to go........

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Do we do too much for our children?

I was going through my old drafts ~ you know, those blog posts that were started and then never finished! I found this one, dated March 2011.....


I have a child who wasn't fully toilet trained until he was ten years of age.  He still needs assistance with dressing. He has only just begun to put on his own shoes. He doesn't know how to brush his teeth. He can't undo his seatbelt. He can't make toast or cut up an apple......... and the list goes on!!


Nick does have motor planning issues and sensory problems blah, blah, blah!   However, have I been a bit lax in encouraging independence?  Yes, absolutely!!  It is all too easy to use the excuse, "oh, he has special needs!"  Silly me - I should have been encouraging and motivating him from the very beginning. Although, to be fair on myself, young Nick was never too keen to do anything with me. He was resistant to any suggestions and extremely stubborn to boot! 

eight months later....

I am pleased to report that Nick is now extremely capable of dressing himself, although at times the t-shirt is on back to front! As for the shoes, what a breeze.... dead easy for my boy! (don't ask me about shoelaces!!). He can undo any seatbelt and we now need to teach him how to put it on! The toast making is a bit iffy, although he collects all that he needs and also puts it away when finished. I haven't really made an effort with the apple, the way Nick waves a knife around is bit off putting! :) The toileting issue ~ at times I have responded to Nick's "uh,uh" (mama) only to discover most of the toilet roll unraveled on the floor. I quickly realised that I need to teach him how to tear a few strips off the roll. We are still working on this one!


This past year has seen me be a bit more proactive with Nick! The extra time that I have put into my boy has also made me more aware of his developmental level and what areas need to be addressed. This year has also made me realise what Nick *can't* do. For a kid with a multitude of challenges he is doing great... BUT he could be doing better! Life has been too easy for him, so easy that he is quite content to sit back and wait for us all to jump to his every whim. OK, that is a bit of an exaggeration but I am sure that you get my drift! He has a learned helplessness about him! On a positive note, Nick is no longer resistant to interacting/engaging with me! He can still be a bit stubborn, but hey, he is very nearly a teenager! :)


My goal for next year, my New Year resolution so to speak, is to use any opportunity to help Nick discover, learn and succeed. There is no rush. We will take it slow. We can do it! We will do it!

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In the following clip, Nick is trying to take the lid off the toothpaste. Yes, I know.... he is 12 and doesn't know how to remove the lid! Why is this you ask? Well, ummmm, *blush*, I have been doing it for him! 

~*~

This video clip ran for 10 minutes, however, because I don't want to bore you silly, I have edited the footage to show you the first few seconds and the last few seconds. The clip shows Nick's lack of awareness of my perspective......... but wait until you see the end of the clip!!

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Helping Dad unload the car!!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Setting Limits..... (well, trying to!!)

IT'S A MAN THING!!

Yes, I used to watch Al Bundy! :)

Puberty and a changing body bring all sorts of issues ~ and in my case ~ these issues are shared!!!  

Perhaps you don't want to know about this 'sensitive' stuff, however, this is part of life with a special needs child/nearly a teenager! My kid was cute when he was little and it was a lot easier to be 'seen in public' but what happens when he grows up? He is certainly not cute any more and he also attracts a lot more attention!


Nick is growing up and although the hormones are not raging, he is sprouting hair you know where and that little thing is not so little any more and it's going up and down like a bloody yo-yo!  Let's be frank here (and my apologies to any males that read this!) is it really necessary for guys to rearrange and scratch those bits all the time?!!!!!!!! Unfortunately for Nick, he doesn't have the social awareness of inappropriate behaviour.... also throw in some OCD and we have trouble on our hands!


Nick has this tendency (at the moment!) to slip his thumb inside the waist band of his shorts and touch whatever may be there, this is not so bad EXCEPT at times the waist band of his shorts gets pushed down a bit too far!!  Also the OCD kicks in and the boy needs to do it again and again and again........... 


It's a bit like the door story in our house ~ any door or drawer that is open needs to be closed and the handle needs to be in place. And the loo story ~ after flushing the loo, he has this compulsive need to go back and flush it again, then the light must be turned off and yes he goes back to double check that the door has been closed! If I stop to think about all of Nick's little 'patterns' my head would spin! He has definitely improved over the years ~ there was a time when he couldn't cope if he was interrupted during one of his 'patterns'. These days he is easily distracted and sometimes all I need to do is give him a look or make a comment and he will stop!


However, my 'looks', 'frowns' and 'comments' are not working with this latest 'man thing'......  all I seem to be getting are permanent lines! 

Take note N V V!! :)

I have also tried ignoring the kid.....but that didn't work!  I tapped him on the hand a couple of times (which caused him to look at me with big sad eyes and that made me feel bad!). I have been gentle, firm, loud, cross, irritable....... 

I am now trying to be firm and consistent

with a big fat

I so want to be like the mum in The Black Balloon!  No, not pregnant!! She was very chilled and took everything in her stride ~ 

Therefore, on that note, I do have to tell you............this man thing is a bit of a problem, BUT, I have decided not to take it too seriously and would rather have a good chuckle (please join me!) ...... and then those lines can be called 'laughter lines'!

~*~