Texture tolerance??

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My son has major problems with texture. I've been trying my best to get him to touch things that could be considered almost creamy. I've been especially working with pudding, and shaving cream. When I put it on his table he freaks out... so I started to introduce the items in the shower so that he could wash it off right away if he wants. (He's obsessed with being clean.) He's gotten past the point of screaming, and he will now put his finger tips into the shaving cream but only for a split second. He immediately washes it off and then he's done with it. This is a MAJOR improvement and it has taken me 4 weeks to get this far.

I am at a loss as to how to get him to PLAY with the item we're working on???

My goal would be to get him to manipulate not only this type of texture but get him to handle a variety of textures. I started out with this one because I am so tired of him freaking out when I try to put lotion on him. I'd also love for him to be able to eat oatmeal, apple sauce and pudding.

Do you think I should continue what I'm doing, or should I give this a rest for a while and move on to sandy, grainy, lumpy, goo-ey or some other texture?

Have you tried using those direct-foam handsoaps? It might be better than shaving-cream, plus it has lighter, dryer texture. And the fact it is soap might help too.

I started with the foam soaps in December... he's pretty good with those now. He really likes smelling them. (Yeah for Kandoo!) He still gives me problems with trying to lather him up though. It's so funny though that he likes being clean but he had problems with soap initially. He really likes having the water on his skin but we can't even think of a bubble bath (at least not yet).

Why does he have to touch slimy stuff? Why are trying to make him do it? There are bar soaps and bar shampoos availabale, and there are alternatives to pudding and apple sauce for food. I'm sorry but I really don't understand this approach with autistic kids... "try to get them to do the things they don't want to do." I mean within reason, I understand. I "make" my son get haircuts and have his nails clipped, wear clean clothes, do his schoolwork, and I don't let him hit people. But I would never try to cajole him into touching a substance that freaked him out unless it were life or death.

My son won't use bar soaps... they still lather up and feel slimy.
And I am trying to expand the range of foods that he will eat. He only eats 4 foods- chicken, potato chips, french fries and cookies. It's not the healthiest diet in the world.
I'm trying to get him to eat bread too and maybe one day peanut butter!
Who knows maybe one day he'll express himself using finger paint!

I don't think I am being unreasonable. I'm doing it slowly and trying to increase his comfort level. You make it seem like I am a terrible mother for trying to make him more comfortable with these things.
I am not force-feeding him or throwing him in a vat of pudding.

Your a very good mother. It does sound to some trivial what you are trying to achieve, but they don`t live in the situation. My daughter has trouble with not wearing the same clothes everyday. This has been my continual battle.
Good luck.
Maybe try alternating activities. Finger painting for 5 mins, then something he really likes for 5 mins. and so on.

Where did I say you were a "bad mother?" I just don't understand putting substances on the table that make him freak out (your words) to try to get him to do something he has a natural aversion to (your words). If bathing is a problem, you can use baking soda instead of soap. It's probably healthier anyway because it's not full of artificial colors and scents.

Being a picky eater comes with autism... it can be traumatic for any child to be cajoled into eating foods they don't want (even if you think you're doing it nicely), and it is even worse for an autistic child. My son's diet is about like yours. I have learned to work with his pickiness, not against it. I make cookies at home using mollasses (calcium, iron) and whole wheat flour. I also make a quick bread similar to banana bread with chocolate chips in it. I never use hydrogenated fats. Potatoes are actually very good for you-- they've been maligned by the Atkins mentality. Especially if you make them yourself and don't use the frozen kind, I don't see the problem really with french fries. There are chips made from sweet potatoes and other things available in the health food store. (No preservatives or artificial flavorings.) Chicken is also good. All he needs is a fruit or fruit juice (calcium fortified OJ would be ideal-- the calcium is more absorbable than in milk, so you then don't have to worry about dairy) and he's got a very decent diet, assuming you make the items yourself and aren't always buying off the shelf. Is he in a safe percentile for height and weight? Do you think he's malnourished?

If you do introduce peanut butter, make sure it isn't the hydrogenated kind.

Let me start from the very beginning... maybe you'll understand where I'm coming from. He was born 5 weeks before his due date- but yet still he measured in the 50th percentile of all newborns. We were pleased that he was a healthy weight. When he was just under a year old, I put him in daycare. He was always getting sick and that's when the symptoms of autism started to show up. It was like someone had flicked a switch and had completely withdrawn from us. He started spinning wheels and wouldn't play with other kids, and didn't want anything to do with adults. He'd spend all day in a corner playing with the same toy or lining up his toys at home. Before that he used to love painting- finger painting especially.

When the symptoms first started to occur, I constantly asked his doctor about- but I was assured that it was probably because he was getting colds and the like. My last straw was when he got gastroenteritis and lost a lot of weight. I took him out of daycare and became a stay at home Mom. His health and happiness were much more important than me going back to work. He's now been below the 1st percentile for almost 2 years- since the time he had gastroenteritis. I've gone to see nutritionists and he willingly takes his vitamins and calcium. But he still won't eat the variety of foods that he used to. I honestly think that he's more paranoid about getting dirty than anything else.

When he eats chicken- he won't touch it. He won't eat french fries on his own unless he's using a fork. He wipes his hands constantly if he's eating cookies.
If you put a little speck of ink on his hands (we discovered this accidentally) he'll demand that you wash his hands until the ink is all gone.

He's obsessed with colour. When he was 15 months he would only eat purple foods. (Believe me it took a bit of imagination for me to figure that he'd eat toast stained purple with butter mixed with food colouring) Now- he's only eating foods with the brownish-yellowish colour. Even with regard to clothing he tells me what colour he wants when choosing what to wear. This morning he especially wanted red socks and he used that to determine the rest of his outfit. I hate that he's limited to markers to express his creativity. He's going to be 3 in April yet still he can draw a car that looks almost like a car. I know he's very visual and he wants to get it on paper but he stops everything if the marker touches his skin and then starts obsessing about washing it off.

Anyway- his height is good... and he keeps getting taller and taller. His doctor has expressed concern about his weight but when he looks at his height he tells me not to worry. I'm a Mom - so I can't help but worry about my boy.

I understand baby J a lot more than people think... I myself have problems with certain foods. I won't touch raw meat and I hate going down stairs. I was able to pick up that he hated having his arms and legs exposed - wearing short sleeved shirts or shorts was impossible for me too. (I learnt how to do it though) For most things, I learnt how to adapt - the meat one though I wish was addressed earlier. I'm an old fogie now and it's too late for me to try. I can't even prepare dinner for my son because of my issues. My hubby has to do it instead. I want my son to be able to live independently and there will be many things that he will encounter that WILL feel yucky to him. I don't want these things to affect his quality of life.

I hate showering with soft water, everything feels so gross.

Ryan's texture issues centre around food. He loves the taste of rice pudding but cannot bear the feel of it in his mouth, in his words, "it feels wrong".
We have the same problems with anything in breadcrumbs like fishfingers, chicken dippers, chips he has major issues with.
Spaghetti he is very dubious about.
In fact beauty within its something I have never actually thought properly about and he is very fussy with food too, but i just thought that was ryan being ryan.
Or anything that requires chewing for any length of time he will heave on it, hmmm.
Cannot really offer any advice on soaps etc cos ryans skin feels constantly clammy and damp so i do not think he notices how the soap or shampoo feel well he has never commented on it.
Good point actually is that an aspergers trait to have clammy hands all the time???? Tracy.

Hi Tracy,
I used to have clammy hands and feet... actually it comes and goes for me. I have no clue what causes it.

Apparently many children with autism have problems with sensory issues.... and the texture thing covers anything touching their skin and what you eat.
I finally got a copy of the book "The Out of Sync Child has Fun". I ordered it weeks ago and the post office misplaced it somehow... it's finally here though.
Here's a link to the book on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Out-Sync-Child-ha ... 0399528431

I noticed texture issues in my son right away as an infant. I complained time and time agian to the dr. Getting the usual your a new mom keep trying. Anyways my son is 8 now and he eats almost nothing although we have greatly expanded his likes. We have found he likes toast plain. He will eat Waffles. He will eat plain chips or pretzles. Oh and he likes the soft pretzles too. thats about it but you can add peanut butter to any of the above and he loves it. I think he likes the peanut butter because its flavorful compared to such a bland diet.

Other things. His sense of smell is very good. He smells things no one else does and sometimes he cant stand it and has to move out of that area. We have not been able to carve a pumpkin yet because the inside feel is just to much for him. He only will wear cotten clothing. No synthetics.

The most concerning for me is that my son will not use toothpaste. He will brush with water but even at the age of 8 its taking its toll. Any suggestions on this one please reply.

Its so encouraging to here other parents children are having similar dificulties and that I am not alone. My area has limited resources and am finding myself being the only support system my son has.

Melin,
I'm glad you're able to get him to brush with water. That's very encouraging. (Imagine how much harder it would be if he wasn't able to stand the feel of the bristles on his gums)

Do you know what it is about the toothpaste that he doesn't like?
Is it the texture? taste? smell?
There are some toothpastes that are pretty gritty. (I personally hate those.)
They do have different flavours of toothpaste and a wide range of kids' toothpastes.
I personally like cinnamon- but it might be too strong for some. I've heard there's a watermelon flavoured toothpaste, but I haven't seen it here.

You don't need to use much on the toothbrush. My dentist recommends only enough to cover the bristles on the toothbrush. That is less intimidating than a big glob of it.
You could try with miniscule amounts and then build up to covering the toothbrush with it. Of course- this is with the toothpaste of his choice. Let him smell a bunch of them in the supermarket so he'll find one that he'll be willing to try.

Have you tried getting your son to help with some cooking? My kids (NT) are fussy but will eat what they help to cook.

Start with cookies since he will eat them. Sounds like he will not like the mess or touching dough, but he may do it if the end result is cookies. Then try something like scones, damper or pancakes. Could even do your own bread. Jamie Oliver has a great pizza base receipe

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes ... 00,00.html

damper (like a big scone) is easier.
http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/e ... amper.html

Thank you BazzaMcKenzie, that's a great idea!
My son LOVES cookies and it might be good motivation for him!! !!
Thanks again!

We have tried diffrent types of toothpates kids falvors and adult pastes and gels. I decided several years ago I was not going to fight this battle anymore over food choices, and it helped alot now I just cook whatever for dinner he has an option to join us or he can choose an alternative he wants to make himself. Aside from not being able to spread peanut butter or cut with a knife he is independant in that respect.

Do these children grow out of this as adults? I was told that between the ages of 9-12 he might but I dont see much waivering on his part. His symptoms have been consistant over the years.

I recieved alot of good recomendations from a nuropsych on things my son needed but when I went to the school district for help. I was told my son does not meet the requirements. I also tried several other agencies to help pay for occupational therapy and some social skills classes for my child that too was denied. I applied for Social Security no suprise there either it was denied as well.

I feel such panic and desperation to get my son on the right track before the window of oppurtunity closes for him. I am afraid that if we cant help him prepare now hes not going to intrigrate in to the adult world with the ease he could if we got him the help now, but what I am hearing from the schools and such is that they wont help until he is in trouble already.

Any thoughts??