Those of you with food aversions/issues - can you explain?

Post Reply New Topic

Hello!

I have a 2.5-year-old son with moderate ASD (non-verbal). He has had issues with eating since about 12 months of age.

Currently he will only eat:
1) A single brand of yogurt that comes in a squeeze pouch. He will not eat yogurt from a spoon, even if I squeeze the yogurt from the pouch onto the spoon in front of him.
2) A single brand of fruit/veggie baby food puree in a squeeze pouch.
3) Crunchy carbs like goldfish crackers, cheerios, etc.
4) He will only drink juice from a juice box - must be in juice box form with a tiny straw. No water, no milk, no open cups, etc.

That's it.

We have been taking him to OT feeding therapy for a year and have made zero progress.

So my question is to those of you with food aversions/eating issues - what causes your aversion to eating? Is it fear-related? Something else? As I mentioned above, my son isn't verbal, so I can't simply ask him what is going on inside of his head as far as food is concerned. Any advice that I could try to help him expand his diet a bit more?

Thank you!! !

For me, it's often the texture, sometimes also the taste or smell. There are some things I can eat raw but not cooked. I never cared about things like packaging, though.

But what about the texture/smell bothers you? Does it make you feel nauseous? Or just generally grossed out?

I haven't been diagnosed so this may not be relevant but I was a really fussy eater ( still picky today ). It was all about texture & taste for me.

Have you tried similar tasting foods / yogurts in a squeeze pouch to see if it is a taste issue?

For me it's texture, I get a gag reflex when trying to swallow peaches, plums, apricots, strawberries, and some types of pears raw. I like all of them cooked but can't get them down raw, I try from time to time, but it doesn't seem to change for me. I also can't handle preserves and jams with too much fruit, or any of those fruits macerated, that's when you put them in a bowl with sugar and they get soft.

Sounds like maybe your son is having a problem with how he takes the food in. We are programmed by nature to breastfeed which involves taking food in small quantities by sucking and swallowing. Everything you listed can be eaten that way, even crackers can be sucked on until they turn to mush and be easily swallowed. They are also all sweet or salty, no savory items in that list.

Here's a couple of things to try. Put some sweetened soy milk or juice in a sippy cup, or small fast food paper cup with a lid, and stick the small juice box straw in it for him to drink with. Start with sweet liquids and if that works try other things like milk and water. Try putting food like pureed sweet potatoes in a small Ziploc snack bag, they are about a quarter the size of a sandwich bag, and cut one corner off so it's basically a squeeze pouch. Try stuff that is smooth to start with like purees and pudding and if that works move toward things with coarser textures like cream of wheat or oatmeal, etc. It might not work but it doesn't cost much to try

Hope that helps...

I agree with the other posters. It definitely has to do with the taste and/or texture of what I am eating. Some foods trigger a gag reflex for me, so I just can't eat them. I think the thing you described with the yogurt is most likely a texture thing- he probably doesn't like the "feel" of the spoon in his mouth. I'm not sure if the food therapy is going to do much, but I wouldn't give up just yet.

As for advice on how to expand his diet, I would recommend trying to find foods with similar textures or tastes. I know you mentioned that he eats crunchy carbs like goldfish and Cheerios- have you tried any other snack-type foods like that with a similar taste? Does he eat any other cereals? I definitely think that the fact he only likes some foods in a squeeze pouch means he has a hard time putting a lot of food in his mouth at once. So, as a result, things like crunchy snacks are a appealing because they are easily eaten and don't trigger that gag reflex that things like, say, bread might. I hope you are able to find more ways to expand his diet. Good luck!

Well, I think there might be a couple (or more) things going-on, here.....

Like others have said (and I agree), it's quite possible that he just doesn't like the texture, of alot of foods----like, I can't STAND Brussels sprouts; they feel like little snot balls, AFAIC, and they just get BIGGER and my mouth gets fuller, the more I chew 'em.

Also, another thing might be, that all of the food you mentioned, doesn't require utensils----he may, either, not like the texture of metal in his mouth; or, it's too much trouble to figure-out how to use them.

We, ASDers (alot of us), can be SOOOO slow to figure-out things, sometimes (myself, included)----so, once we figure-out something (ie, what foods we like / can tolerate), we can be pretty stubborn about changing; plus, I feel one of the reasons, we have so many routines, maybe, is because it would take entirely TOO MUCH brain-power to figure-out how to do whatever, any other way.

I really like lorknozzel's suggestion about putting different puréed foods in a Ziploc bag, and just snipping the corner, off (thus, making it like a squeeze pouch)----and, it HAS TO be Ziploc brand, IMO, cuz they're the most durable, and they can be washed (I wash MINE - saves, on cost). Also, don't they have puréed beef in baby food squeeze pouches? Maybe you've already tried that, though.....

The only other thing I can think-of, is, maybe, if he likes Goldfish crackers, try to ascertain (if you haven't, already) if it's the CHEESE he likes, by puréeing Mac & Cheese, and putting THAT in a Ziploc bag, like lorknozzel suggested. Also, if he doesn't like Kraft Mac & Cheese, Velveeta Mac & Cheese is really good, IMO----and, because the sauce is so super-duper thick, you might be able to sneak a SMALL piece of puréed roast beef, in there (or, maybe, a piece of CHICKEN breast, as it's lighter in color [would hide, better], and it's, maybe, less-greasy, so it would lessen the chance, hopefully, of taking the taste of the cheese, away).

Good luck, to you----I know how difficult it can be, getting kids to eat (even NT kids).

Definitely texture like others have said. His resistance to packaging or lack thereof may simply be that he is too young to realize that food tastes/feels the same out of the package and is afraid of having an unpleasant experience. It could be though that the package allows him to have more precise control over how fast he eats and how much food is in his mouth at any one time, all the while removing the fine motor difficulties of utensils.

My food issues aren't severe, but I can try to explain what it's like for me.
There isn't really any simply disliking a food for me - if I don't like something, I can't stand it, and my body will refuse to swallow if I try to eat it. Sometimes this also will happen randomly while I'm eating, like suddenly my body has had enough and won't take any more. I cannot force myself to eat as much as most people do in one sitting - I will just gag if I try - so I do better with four or five smaller meals a day than two or three big meals. The reason I don't like a food can be due to taste, texture, or smell, and the way it's consumed can matter, too - and yes, I can taste/feel differences between brands of the same item. I'm guessing your son's issues with juice in cups or yogurt/baby food in a spoon is because of the feel - he may not like the texture or the coldness of a spoon or a cup, but the feel of a straw or a squeeze pouch is okay. As others have suggested, I would try to find foods similar in taste and texture to those he will eat, and try to present them in as similar a way as possible. Making a homemade squeeze pouch out of a Ziploc bag sounds like a great idea to me.

Textures are definitely what bother me with a lot of foods. I mostly can only eat soft foods and I eat a lot of things like pasta, yogurt, and soup. I have trouble with things like lettuce and peppers because they are hard.

Also, I just happened to think-of something else.....

Maybe the texture of the PACKAGING has something to do with it----like, maybe, squeezing things, is a sort of stim, for him. If that's the case, lorknozzel's idea would, again, be GREAT!!

I think you're on to something with both the "feel" of the spoon and him being able to regulate what goes into his mouth at his own pace with a squeeze pouch. I suspect he might have apraxia, but no speech pathologists will even attempt to diagnose him until he turns 3.

I actually purchased reusable squeeze pouches with a sort of ziplock-like enclosure at the end to try to place new pureed foods into it - he wasn't having it and wouldn't touch anything I put inside of it, even if it was a "preferred" food... even after forcing him to take a least one taste to "prove" what was inside was "OK/safe", he was done and would always shut down.

Packaging/brand sameness is a huge factor for him. Like I mentioned, he will now only eat a single brand of yogurt and fruit/veggie pouches (even though he used to eat a variety of different brands with similar packaging). One type he used to eat just changed the graphics on the pouch and he has refused to eat that kind since. He is even particular about his juice boxes - I personally can't tell the difference between Juicy Juice and Minute Maid apple juice... but he seems to!

Ugh. It is such a struggle. He is underweight too, so I worry so much about him lacking proper fat, protein, and nutrition for his little growing brain.

Thank you to all who have responded so far! I appreciate it!

I'm like this. It simply comes down to a ritualistic need for the same. My advice would be to just stick with it. I'm not surprised tbh.. I'd try to feed him other stuff in a "squeeze pouch" not exactly sure what you mean by that.

The sucking and crunchy sensations are great for proprioceptive input. They can help with managing sensory processing issues, focusing attention, and calming emotions.

I use a special straw with a thick meal-replacement shake or fruit/veggie smoothie. Or I will eat some dark chocolate bark with almonds (good proprioception, great taste, and mood-enhancing chemicals).

My area of expertise!! !

Lol. I was one of those children who refused to be breastfed. They had to test out a variety of brands of milk and allegedly I would only drink one - my mother still laughs about how I picked out the one that tasted the worst.

My earliest memories involve worrying about food. When I was around three, I remember consciously making the decision to put my foot down as to what I wasn't going to eat, and to this day... I've not become a "free-eater".

1) PRESENTATION -

Separate > Mixed. If a meal can be separated out into it's ingredients, it was easier to eat. Google "pelau". My sister would separate peas, rice, carrots, corn, meat... And I'd eat it grain by grain.

Dry > Wet. The drier, the better. Too many sauces trigger disgust. Ketchup was okay, or mustard. By around ten I could combine the two, and use small amounts of gravy also, by about 13 I could do curry. My mother would bake my meals to dry them out for me. I don't know how this works, but I prefer to have a drink and eat desiccated food than to have anything that's still "juicy"

Colour Bland is better. That wheat pasta colour. More than three colours evoke suspicion. I was in my twenties by the time I was good with pizza with more than 2 toppings (Hawaian is still the only one i'm good with), and I still have to prep myself for Neapolitan Ice Cream.

Certain colours have to be avoided too. Eggplant purple for example. Any colours too dark, like greens, or too bright, like yellows. Bland pastel stuff is easiest. Like apples, and pears, for fruits as opposed to strawberries.

Exposure Box is good, eg, fast food boxes > Plastic container (get dark ones that don't stain) > plates (get ones without a lot of grooves or ornamentation).

Flat white ceramic is best for me. Disposable white plates straight from a pack are good too. Let him have his own dishes that he doesn't see other people using.

2) TEMPERATURE

Heat Scalding, steaming hot is the only way to go. If it needs someone to blow it, let the child do it or put it in front of a farm. Once I get that food scalding hot, even the worst things get more edible.

Cold works as long as it's cold. Mildly chilled is bad. Lukewarm is the worst. Lukewarm milk is... Lukewarm milk kept me out of school for about a week because I just couldn't stop vomiting.

3) CONSISTENCY

Transparency Kool-aid/ bottled water is the easiest thing for me to drink out of a glass. If you can see through it, it's good.

Mixture Generally, Solution>Colloid> Suspension is how I have it worked out in my head. Any kind of drink that has stuff in it that settles? Ugh. The more watery a thing is, the easy it is for me to convince myself to eat it. Eg., watermelon and cucumber > pineapple > tomatoes > guava. If you're thinking about fruits.

4) SCENT - some scents are as noxious as say burning tires or rotting bodies are to normal people. I've had to take vomit breaks sometimes just from passing in front of a Subway restaurant with an open door.

5)TEXTURE -
crunch > squish. Eg, Raw vegetables > cooked ones. Burnt crispy food > tender food. Crackers > jello. Crispy burnt eggs > wet messy raw eggs

6)TRUST of SOURCE -

Brands - I can eat fried chicken only from KFC. Just yesterday I increased my Pizza places up to 2. I've been experimenting with Chinese food, and now, I have up to five different places I've eaten Chinese food from, because I think I've done something racist and blended all the cooks into one complete set of Chinese people who are indistinguishable from one another. (I'm still trying to figure how Chinese wood work. Started when I was fifteen, and now, i'm like a pro at eating it without too much fussing. Been maybe a year since I vomited Chinese food back up)

The Cook The number of people who's food I can eat have dwindled down to one. Just my brother. And he's on tenuous ground. I've started cooking for myself, but in the beginning when I was your son's age and through those kindergarten years, I remember giving everyone a chance. And if you did something wrong too many times, that was it, trust was gone. Eg. My grandmother wouldn't stop putting onion in the cheese-paste, so I stopped eating from her when I was maybe 6.

7) TASTE - probably the least important variable. Food getting into my mouth was the problem when I was your son's age, getting it in and keeping it in.

SOCIAL CONTEXT - social pressure to eat, shaming, "Spotlight eating" can work from time to time but it's really traumatizing and overall, family bonding tends to suffer. I had to eat with the nuns when I was in kindergarten under the pictures of Jesus and the cross. Eating for Jesus would get me to do it, but they'd also have to call the ambulance from time to time when half-an-hour later I was projectile vomiting.

My mother used to try "Trading" things I wanted to have or do with eating. Eg, I missed out on seeing Pocahontas because I had to eat Mackerel and lentil stew in order to go and as much as I wanted to go, I couldn't and I think I cried for 2 days and I can't look at that movie or Vanessa Williams without thinking about that.

It's hard, and my mother tried, but with some effort you can figure it out, so that you're son doesn't end up malnourished or throwing up in a pediatric ward.

It's a psychological problem of disgust for me, primarily. Some of the things I see people eating, I wonder, "Jesus, how does your brain work where that's edible?" Mayonnaise literally crawls my blood. It's the kind of biological repulsion a normal person might have from eating snails or slugs or something.

The main thing I would suggest is to not try to force your kid to push back that disgust threshold. Even as an adult who understands how nutrition works and that what I have is essentially a disorder, I still can't forgive some of what my parents did with their good intentions.

Simple meals are really a complicated process. Eating is seriously probably the most stressful thing I do because there's just so many combinations possible. One very wrong thing might trump all the good things and it's frustrating - eg, when my mom made a whole jug of juice just to my settings alone, I wouldn't drink it because the jug she used had had milk in it maybe a month before... I was angry because obviously you can't put juice in a jug that once had milk in it, and she was angry because, well, time and money had gone into it...

I'd suggest going slow, lots of friendly communication where he doesn't feel punished or forced, and keeping a track of what goes right and what goes horribly wrong.

^^^ Interesting about the mixed/separate. I prefer my food homogenised... preferably mixed into a single gloop... I hate separate stuff, like potatoes, vegetables, meat etc... I have to eat that one at a time, starting with what
I like least. Wet/dry... prefer thick gloop. Don't really like dry, and can't eat out of a puddle(thin sauce or gravy). I prefer soft and sloppy texture and don't like strong flavours.
Ideal meal for me would be pasta with a sauce that I can just spoon down... but I am trying harder to diversify lately for health reasons.