Help with feeding

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Hello. I am new here and this is my first post. A quick history. I have a 3 year old boy who was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism a little over a year ago. He is non-verbal and communicates using the LAMP Software on an IPad. His diet is VERY limited. It mainly consists of Teddy Grahams, Goldfish, French Fries, Peanut Butter Crackers, and Tostidas. He only drinks water except for the bottle of Soy Milk at bedtime that we are trying to break him from. Any suggestions as to how to get him to eat more would be helpful. Thanks!

Can you insist that he eat a small amount of something you choose before he gets the teddy Grahams/goldfish/whatever?

It can be very, very small at first...just to establish the habit. Like, one piece of corn.

Does he take a multi-vitamin?

You listed a lot of crunchy foods. Maybe tried veggie chips or freeze-dried fruits and vegetables? Will he eat anything with protein?

Can he have soy milk during the day instead? Also try almond milk or coconut milk.

Sorry, I meant to mention he does occasionally eat the Veggie dippin chips they sell at Target.

We never thought of giving him the soy during the day. He will only drink it out of his bottle.

Whenever we try to introduce new foods to him, he still puts up a fuss and will not try them.

He does not take a multi-vitamin.

We have never tried the freeze dried fruits. I may have to. He gets protein out of the Peanut Butter crackers.

His doctor does not seem too concerned about his nutrition as he is a solid little boy. This is more for my well being.

A nuby sport top cup can be an easier translation for kids who really love their bottles.

I would try to get a multivitamin in him. Possibly a liquid one.

If he's getting protein from the peanut butter and at least a vitamin, I would rest way easier. (But still try to expand what he would eat...but if you are calm about it, then expanding just a few foods each year could be seen as the success it is.)

You can always try to feed him a vitamin supplement or a nutrition drink. If he's not eating much food options, that may be the best idea to at least balance it out.

You can also go to a farmers market, buy some friut there and make juices from that. The stuff practically tastes like candy which will not be much of am issue with a kid with sensory issues.

I'm not sure if the nutrients would be flushed out in the juice but its still very healthy. Maybe try mashing up the food there and feeds it to him as a shake or formula. It would at least get some fruits and vegetables in his system. Vitamin A, C, K B12 ect.

However I am probably not the best at this. I don't have kid nor planning to have any. People also say Im a tad young so I can't explain much in a childs development. I haven't watched over kids much either.

In other words, if your son does not want to eat foods other then that, This may be an option.



The best of luck... Really.

It can be really hard to get kids that age to eat, even if they are totally NT. My 4 year old niece is like that. All she wants to eat is ketchup.

I'm still pretty restrictive about what stuff I eat on a regular basis. I'm "forced" by my mom to eat a salad after school. Which I can eat if it has enough honey mustard dressing. I think a difference between kids with autism and NT kids being picky, is for autism kids it's more like what we can't eat, instead of what we don't want to. With lots of foods my sensitivity to the flavor or texture etc make it so I can't eat them without gagging.