Why didn't I think of that?

[FabTXMomma]

We met with a social worker at our local rehab center (where ds gets OT services). I wanted to ask her about state services or community services for ds. She asked lots of questions and was very helpful.

My "duh" moment:

We were talking about how high energy he is. She asked what types of food he ate. Well, he eats a LOT of bread and waffles and crackers and fruit. She says, well, he might just be on a sugar rush all the time then, if he's not eating any protein or fiber to help slow that down.

Well, gee.

I had taken away juice; he mostly drinks water at home now.
He prefers wheat bread to white, so we always have bread that has at least 2g of fiber per serving.
And he eats the waffles plain b/c I didn't like him eating pure sugar at breakfast everyday. Syrup is a treat now.

But it didn't really occur to me that the bread, crackers, waffle, fruit combo could be causing the incredibly high energy level.

I don't know if it will work or not, but she suggested getting him low carb alternatives - i.e. low sugar bread made with Splenda. I'm not keen on the fake sugar, BUT I also know it would be a gigantic battle to try and get him to eat totally different foods. Substitutions would be better. And maybe if we get him off the sugar rush, he would start trying other foods too? I'm thinking he might be craving it so bad that he's not willing to try other things, kwim?

Something about the idea just resonated with me. She has also suggested talking with a nutritionist, but we'll have to wait on that as dh just changed jobs and the new insurance doesn't kick in for a bit. But she's familiar with our new insurance and will probably be able to help us as far as what to ask for when the time comes. All in all she was very helpful.

[MaeinTX]

Carolyn, thanks for sharing. The things you listed are S's favorites too

We were doing the plain wheat bread but the whitewheat (that's the brand) actually had more iron in it so we just switched.

I hope you are able to find reasonable alternatives that meet both your expectations and your ds' taste buds. That is great that she knows your insurance as well.

Glad she was able to help you today.

[redwoodstorys]

Carolyn, I'm not against artifical sweetners, but be aware that it may make him worse. Does he eat other items with splenda in it?

How about trying to sub in some protein...dd always has to have protein w/bf. (as do i! no carbs in morning for me) She often spreads peanut butter on her waffle (or licks it right off the spoon). Will he eat a boiled egg in the morning? or scrambled (1 min in the microwave)? How about some cheese? Or a protein bar? (though those are only for snacks here...)

hth!

[FabTXMomma]

Currently he doesn't eat anything with splenda in it. Is there any evidence though that splenda is bad for kids in the same way aspartame or saccharine can be? I would definitely be sticking to Splenda sweetened products as I know there is evidence that aspartame and saccharine are not so good.

Redwoodstorys, I appreciate the ideas, but he won't eat any of the things you mentioned. The only way to get protein in him is either to give him a McD's hamburger (and he would prefer to eat just the bun) or very rarely, he will eat fried chicken strips. He'll even pick the pepperoni off his pizza. So we end up taking him to McD's twice a week. Amazingly, this has not helped him put weight on in any way either. He's still skinny as a rail.

His diet is very limited and the normal routes of expanding picky kids' diets just have not been working. I'm hoping once we start working with a nutritionist, we might see some improvement there.

[MaeinTX]

What about protein shakes?

I know that it isn't the best option but I can't get S to eat much protein either. He has started plain peanut butter on his bread this summer but we bought protein and mix it up with some milk and ice cream and give it to him as a treat. But..again..that is adding lots of sugar back in the diet, they do make ice cream with Splenda though.

Hope you find a peaceful solution.

and S only wants fries and McD's or the bun.

[redwoodstorys]

(I was afraid of that...)

So we need to disguise it as bread....hmmmm

Will he eat any bread that you make? Or does it have to be 'premade'? If you thought he'd eat something in the form of a bread/cake thing I have some ideas. Will he eat muffins?

Is it the Mcdonald's food, surroundings, or packaging?

Will he drink milkshakes?

I've not seen any hard evidence about splenda yet...only some folks (adults) complaining of it triggering headaches. But I tend to be wary of things like that...

(btw: my nephew is autistic..he's 7. Last Christmas we had our first 'real' conversation! Last month he acutally walked out to the car with me by himself (without a brother or sister or parent with him) A lot of my work with deaf brings me in contact with other children with special needs. )

[babydolls]

This is a WONDERFUL observation!!!
Caleb is skinny as a rail. He craves carbs (and fruit). He's always on the go. I just think I might research this a bit more.

[mommyof2monkeys+princess]

Does he like tuna fish? My ds loves this especially if I give him crackers to dip in the tuna fish. It is high in protein. I make this for school alot also.

We do the protein shakes as milkshakes even without ice cream as long as it is think ds thinks it is a milkshake :wink3: this also is great.

Tammy

[FabTXMomma]

Nope, he doesn't like fish or milkshakes.

And I'm not sure about the McDonalds. He'll sometimes eat burgers at other restaurants too, but the closer they look to a McD's burger, the better. He'll eat them at home or at the pool or wherever so it's not necessarily the environment, but probably the packaging and the look of it.

He will eat homemade muffins and bread. He loves banana bread. They have to look plain though - he won't eat blueberry muffins b/c he can see the blueberries.

If you have any recipes redwoodstorys, I'd love to have them.
Thanks!

[redwoodstorys]

Yes! Try starting with his favorite muffin receipe. You can add protein powder and fiber powder to them. (I use FIBERSURE--it is colorless, tasteless and doesn't 'gel' up. Its in the laxitive/fiber section of the store. Just use a little at first-his system will need to adjust). I don't buy protein powder, but I'm sure someone will be able to reccomend some. Again--just a little. We may not can taste them--but his tastbuds a probably more sensitive.

You have to adjust the liquid for the receipe, if its from a pkg. or just take it off the flour measure if its homemade.

Try sneaking a little peanut butter into the mix..might work..might not.

Bannana bread would be a great place to start. (I make a high protein/lower sugar/high fiber choclate chip bannana bread--I'd started it for a friend who was diabetic/kidney failure...but WE loved it, so I still make it!)

I also use SOY flour in place of some of the regular flour in my bannana bread recipe. Its very high in protein.

Remember you can sub out Equal/Splenda for sugar.

Zuchinni--peel it first, then shred fine--it dissappears in cooking...

Try finding cheap premade burgers...make it as close to MCD. as you can..then try wrapping it in McD. wrapper and put it in one of their bags. (Save one..maybe later they would give you some) Let him have it for breakfast if it works!

(My nephew will eat ANYTHING we put in a McD bag...that's why I'd asked...we save them! Ask for extras at the store..etc...)

I think the trick is to introduce VERY slowly...and then give him time to adjust. Offer new foods..by just putting them in reach, but not telling him to eat them..(that way, stubborn doesn't kick in..he can reach over and take them if he's interested.) BUT OF COURSE YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS! lol! I'm just working it thru for others who may be reading this!

I will be on the lookout for specific recipes now..:D