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Tips for eating new foods

6/13/2011

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Picture
This is me pretending I am a monkey eating :)
Hola again to my fantastic friends,
    Today's topic I am sure we are all familiar with: getting your child to eat new or different foods.  As a parent to a picky toddler, I get to deal with this every day as well.   Luckily I got to  attend a presentation by a feeding therapist at Autism One, and while many of the techniques were things that I already do in Son-Rise playrooms,  it was nice to hear that the experts agree, and that they have a few more tricks up their sleeves.  So here are some tips to get your child to eat!

           First of all,  TRUST is the most important thing to get a child to eat new foods!!!!!   Never force your child to eat anything because you are undermining your own relationship with your child, as well as teaching your child that eating new foods is not fun or something they have control over.   Instead always make eating enjoyable and fun, and model how much you love eating yourself!   As the parent, caregiver, or volunteer you control what, where, and when the child eats (obviously this is because you are giving them the food).  Your child gets to control how much and whether he eats.   If you can introduce the foods in the playroom this would be best, as your child already knows they have control, plus its a place you already get messy in.  Otherwise make sure you are in a place that is easy to clean or make it easier to clean (e.g.  put a plastic covering under your child's chair.)

           Then, make eating fun!!!!  So many people (my husband included) are afraid of making messes with food or think "you shouldn't play with your food."  Yeah....this is good for adults or people who already like the food, however for picky eaters (and I learned that typically 30-50% of children are picky eaters, but 50-90% of autistic children are picky eaters,)  playing with your food is key to eventually eating the food!   The more your child interacts with the food in any way (touching, smelling, tasting and spitting, rubbing, squishing...you get my drift) the more they will tolerate and like it long term.  So make your new mantra "messy is marvelous"  when it comes to new food!  
         
         I remember one playroom session with a 16 year old girl who barely ate anything besides chips.  I had a lunch session and we brought in all sorts of fruits and vegetables, in most other sessions people had offered her food in a fun way, but it was all at the table one piece at a time. This day I brought in some different sized bowls and we sat on the floor with the food.  I encouraged her to make a fruit salad with me.  We started putting the fruit in, and she started squishing it between her fingers (this was more interaction then she had with fruit all week so I was jazzed), we squished and sang about our food, and had so much fun making a mess.   Before I knew it she had scooped up a glob of our fruit soup and taken a bite, and then another and then another!!!!   Because I wasn't afraid to get down and dirty she had fun eating new foods with me.
 
         I'm realizing I have soo much information on this so watch out for more tips in my future blogs, but realize that kids may need to be exposed 30 times to the new food before they like it, so if at first you don't succeed, try and try and try and try and try again!

Happy Eating!  Best wishes until next time,
Katrina

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My playroom secrets: I get toys from the dollar store/isle!

6/13/2011

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items from the dollar isle!
Hello all of you fabulous people, 
         Now that I live in a bigger city again (Albuquerque, NM), I once again have the luxury of countless stores and choices at my finger tips.  (Although living in the rural areas of Massachusetts, we still had plenty of choices).  Now, I am 5 minutes from a Target though, and I have to be honest, shopping at Target could be considered my ism  (a repetitious, exclusive activity ;)). I love walking up and down the isles just seeing all the new things.   One of my favorite isles in Target is at the front of the store: the dollar isle. 
         This is my best resource for playroom toys, and every month or so when they change the merchandise for the season, I always buy a few items to use in the playroom.  This month I was able to get some clown costumes (see my daughter modeling them to the left) bug masks, and playroom art supplies.  Everything is 2 dollars or less, so I don't break the bank, and it adds some variety to my playroom resources.  I have a shelf in my house where I keep playroom supplies that can be taken into the playroom at anytime (but not always stored there).   Dollar stores are also good places to get things, especially right around Halloween for costumes, but they always have a few toys and costumes, and its always good for art supplies to make your own games, or buy different party glasses for eye contact games.
       I hope you all have fun playing at dollar stores, and of course in your playrooms!
Best wishes until next time,
Katrina

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I got spirit, how 'bout you?

6/7/2011

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        Before I went to Chicago for the Autism One Conference (check out some of the info I learned in future blogs) I visited a young autistic friend in Minnesota for a weekend outreach.  I had met this little girl before several months before and had fallen in love with her then.  She is an energetic, imaginative girl who loves animals, the circus, and dress-up.  I was excited to see what fun this visit would bring.  However things were slightly different for me than last time, as I am now 5 months pregnant.
      At home my bigger belly gave me excuses for moving slower, having someone else do it, and not always playing "tiger chase" with my toddler daughter.  But, when I commit to the playroom, I know that I am going to give it my all, so I was curious how this outreach would go.  Would I be too tired?  Could I move like before?  Could I really play intensely for the majority of the day?  However just as I expected, the playful spirit took over the second I walked into the room.  I was jumping and roaring without a care in the world.  All of my energy was focused on interacting with my precious playmate.  I would have done almost anything for her.
      And joyously my body and my baby didn't mind.  In fact, they enjoyed it.  See, I am a subscriber to the belief that just as Happiness is a choice, so is excitement and enthusiasm.  When we decide to go into the playroom with our kiddos we are making a choice to give them the gift of ourselves, and when we give ourselves over to the present moment, anything can happen ... even when you're pregnant, or "old", or have sore knees, or you didn't sleep well last night.  When all we think about is that beautiful child in front of us, and how to best be with them or help them interact more, our own perceived limitations can fly out the window!
     The trick is this, we don't have to have the playful spirit all the time (ask my daughter, I don't).  We don't always need to be jumping out of our skin and grinning ear to ear, I don't think we could if we wanted to, so let that pressure go.  However, know that when you step into the playroom (or you are giving them that uninterrupted hour or how ever long you do) with your child it IS possible.  Also know that that this spirited energy looks different for everyone.  What I loved about working at the mountain is that no 2 facilitators had the same energy, we were all very very different, the key is in being 100% present with your child. 
      As always I welcome your comments or questions!
Have fun playing!   love, Katrina
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    Katrina Kramlich

     The founder of Inspired Spectrums shares her tips and experiences in working with children and adults with autism.  Word of caution: she is occasionally sentimental and this is often reflected in her blogs :)

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