Food issues

[Got2Sleep]

This is going to sound really weird, but I have learned to share odd things here..lol.

Do any of your kids go through like phases of only eating 1 food? Bradon does have a feeding disorder, meaning he basically starved himself from year 1-3, and we fed with a tube until 5.5.

But, here we go again. He will only eat certain foods. I don't mean he is being picky( I am picky, so I get that!) I mean he will only eat a food for days, even weeks.

Last time we went to the doctor, so that was the 13th of June..he started eating chili cheese fries...ONLY..for breakfast, lunch and dinner..this was all he wanted. And all he would eat.

Monday of this week it changed..yes, almost 2 weeks later..to KFC mashed potatoes. ONLY KFC. I made instant last night with butter and salt/pepper..I mean, come on, there is not anything that tells me they make anything other than instant! NOPE..he gagged and wouldn't even let his fork touch them!

He wakes and asks for KFC potatoes for breakfast..I said no, they aren't open yet. He did eat some popcorn then. I took all the kids to McDonalds(Yes, I do cook, but it is summer!) this evening, NOPE..he wasn't hungry--his belly hurt, etc..

Then we came home and I made chicken alfredo..something he used to eat, and nope...KFC potatoes. Some say let him starve, he will eat when hungry..but this is Bradon who went 12 days without a single bite..he doesn't get hungry like we do.

So, any advise, thoughts, ideas?

 

[smallworld]

Does he see an Occupational Therapist (OT) for his sensory processing disorder (SPD)? If so, the therapist may be able to help out in this area.

Is he on any medications? Food issues are frequently related to both sensory issues and anxiety; treating the anxiety often helps.

 

[Got2Sleep]

Trying to get private Occupational Therapist (OT). Traveling 6 hrs every other week for 4 hrs intensvei right now. Extended school year just ended, so nothing through schools for now.

On Topamax(yes, I know it makes many lose, but his migraines and possible seizures out weight this), Depakote, and Seroquel.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[DammitJanet]

Topamax may be more of a culprit than you think. I know a woman who became so anorexic on it that just the smell of food cooking in the house next door caused her to gag violently. She couldnt eat more then three or four crackers a week and that was with her wanting to force herself to eat them.

The mere thought of food was repulsive.

When I first started topamax it made food taste funny and I changed my food preferences. I no longer craved the same sorts of foods or in the same quantities that I did before. Unfortunately, that side effect has worn off!

 

[smallworld]

Has he ever been on an SSRI? My daughter developed a choking phobia last summer, refused to eat, was hospitalized and fed through an NG tube. The ONLY thing that helped reduce her fear of eating was Prozac. I'm not saying your difficult child has this type of eating phobia, but I'd wager he has sensory food aversion, which requires intensive therapeutic interventions that may include desensitization in conjunction with medications.

Before you say that kids with BiPolar (BP) can't be on SSRIs, I have two who are able to tolerate low doses of SSRIs once their moods were stabilized with mood stabilizers. The SSRIs have helped tremendously with anxiety and depression.

There are other migraine preventives that don't cause appetite loss. They include Inderal, Depakote, Neurontin and Amitriptyline.

Good luck.

 

[Hound dog]

I have a grown friend with this food issue. She's had it since her mother can remember. I do recall her telling me that certain medications would make it worse. (can't recall exactly which ones) So you might want to check into that angle.

Hugs

 

[Got2Sleep]

You know, he did go through a period where even cooking bothered him. IN fact, we started cooking more outside--grilling, disc, etc. to help that out. Hmmm..I need to really look into this. Thanks!

 

[Got2Sleep]

Prozac makes him sick to stomach really bad...ZOloft activagged him. SO...I can ask at next appointment. We go on the 13th. Thanks for the help.

On Depakote now.

 

[smallworld]

Amitriptyline (mentioned above in my post) is the generic name for Elavil. I took it for IBS for about a year and gained 10 pounds! It made me ravenous.

 

[--Eleanor--]

Oh, yeah. We deal with this kind of thing all the time with my 7 year old. He has always gone through phases about what he will eat. Fortunately, there are three basics that we can always get him to eat--chicken nuggets, soymilk and apples--that keep him from starving. Two pieces of advice: (1) If your son will take pills, give him multivitamins, an anti-oxidant supplement, and a cod liver oil pill. Not the same as getting nutrition from your food, but better than nothing. (2) Offer rewards. With sufficient incentives (bowling trip, video rental, etc.) my son has, on occasion, even been willing to try some vegetables. (He gags in distress when he eats them, and needs to wash them down with a lot of water. Clearly, there are a lot of sensory issues going on here.)

Best of luck!

 

[1905]

I would make sure he has plenty of whatever it is until it gets resolved. This way at least he will eat something. We have a student who does this, but its different at grammas(hot dogs only) and at school with us-he eats a variety. At home ONLY CHEF BOY AR_DEE RAVIOLI! For a year.-Alyssa