The Lonely Cucumber

Kids with special needs often have difficulties in relation to food - sensitivities or aversions, etc.  When my kids were learning to eat I made my own baby food simple because it was less expensive and had less chemicals. At that age my kids ate sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, apricots, plums, and all sorts of other good stuff.  It was marvelous. Juniper would even come over, sit on my lap, and start eating my salads.  I loved it.

Then at the magic age of 2 1/2 that all changed. Suddenly, the kids stopped eating all the good stuff and all they would eat was mac 'n cheese (boxed that is), chicken nuggets & fries, pepperoni pizza, cheese quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.  For breakfast they would only eat cereal (dry on a plate, milk on the side in a cup).  I went bonkers. I tried making food look fun. I tried having the kids help me cook it. I tried persuasion and force.  Yeah. Not happening.

I talked to the kids doctor about it a few years ago when Cyprus had started this phase and she said that most kids go through that phase and that it can take an average of 72 times of trying to reintroduce the food before a kid will try it again (and that's for a 'normal' kid).  And because of their age and weight the doctor said "IF they want pizza, give them pizza because they need the fat at this stage.  Keep introducing the other foods, but mostly make sure they are getting the calories." I was hoping with Juniper's love of stealing my salads that he would bypass this phase entirely.  Unfortunately, this summer the food aversion phase once again kicked in.

While previously working with an occupational therapist for Rose she had us to food related playtime. We'd make up games and then get Rose to be blindfolded then she would mix flavors and textures and Rose would sniff, lick, and possibly eat them mostly.  Its amazing the power the mind has over food, because if I gave Rose the same food un-blindfolded she would gag, throw tantrums, and be 100% willing to starve herself for days if need be not to eat it.

So we live by multi-vitamins in the meantime to makeup for what they lack.  I still battle giving them foods that they once loved. Yesterday I picked a fresh cucumber from our garden. Today I sliced it up to go with my lunch and once again I included my children in on the bounty. Along with cucumber they had a grilled cheese sandwich and an apple. Once again the lonely cucumber remains solitary on the plate. Rose at least deemed to lick it for me before she tossed it aside.

Only 56 more times to go.