Food Issues
I feel like I'm living in a nursery rhyme like "Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean." Our version is, "Caleb Shen could eat SO fast, his sis could eat SO slow."
We've had eating issues with Bethy since she got off of baby food. She used to have to drink Ensure because she didn't eat enough food. She could go a whole day and eat not one bite of food. She never, ever said she was hungry. We have come a long way since those days. She's moved up a bit in percentage for her height/weight for her age. She no longer needs Ensure. She expresses hunger. She eats food throughout the day. She even tries new foods occasionally. It's been a long road and it continues. She is an extremely slow eater. Lunch takes 45 minutes and would last longer if I didn't give it a time limit due to nap. Dinner takes her at least an hour. Sometimes she does eat at a "regular" pace.
We have started using a star system to help her stay on task. I never wanted to use a "behavior" system for meals, but it is really helping. It's things like: staying in her seat, not having to be reminded to eat, being kind/good manners, trying some of everything on her plate, and eating enough to be healthy and strong. She has responded well to it overall.
The big problem is with certain foods, like a baby carrot or a piece of pot roast. I kid you not, these items will take her 30-45 minutes per bite to chew and swallow. Even when she drinks a lot of water, the carrot will remain in her mouth.
Why? Why does it take her so long? Do I need to do anything about it or is it just a phase she'll outgrow? Advice?
Then on the other side of the table is Caleb who came to us with food issues. Makes sense when you are a two year old who has never eaten solid food. Once he figured out how to eat, we couldn't stop him. He would shovel food into his mouth, eat a lot, and eat often.
We got the food issues with him under control quickly, but then he had the surgery and had to go on a liquid diet. Now he's back on solid food and the food issues are back and even more than they were before. He would eat constantly all day long if I would let him. If I dare go in the kitchen, he is right there begging. And I have to constantly tell him to slow down because he just shoves food in his mouth.
Some people may suggest to just have healthy food available to him. That's what we give him mostly but he would he 7 bananas a day if allowed.
This was kind of funny: Yesterday we were driving past Publix and he screamed out with his "I want some of that food" scream. He wanted the free cookie. He saw the Publix sign and wanted the cookie.
Meanwhile, Bethy ate five days ago so she's too full for a cookie....... ; )
We've had eating issues with Bethy since she got off of baby food. She used to have to drink Ensure because she didn't eat enough food. She could go a whole day and eat not one bite of food. She never, ever said she was hungry. We have come a long way since those days. She's moved up a bit in percentage for her height/weight for her age. She no longer needs Ensure. She expresses hunger. She eats food throughout the day. She even tries new foods occasionally. It's been a long road and it continues. She is an extremely slow eater. Lunch takes 45 minutes and would last longer if I didn't give it a time limit due to nap. Dinner takes her at least an hour. Sometimes she does eat at a "regular" pace.
We have started using a star system to help her stay on task. I never wanted to use a "behavior" system for meals, but it is really helping. It's things like: staying in her seat, not having to be reminded to eat, being kind/good manners, trying some of everything on her plate, and eating enough to be healthy and strong. She has responded well to it overall.
The big problem is with certain foods, like a baby carrot or a piece of pot roast. I kid you not, these items will take her 30-45 minutes per bite to chew and swallow. Even when she drinks a lot of water, the carrot will remain in her mouth.
Why? Why does it take her so long? Do I need to do anything about it or is it just a phase she'll outgrow? Advice?
Then on the other side of the table is Caleb who came to us with food issues. Makes sense when you are a two year old who has never eaten solid food. Once he figured out how to eat, we couldn't stop him. He would shovel food into his mouth, eat a lot, and eat often.
We got the food issues with him under control quickly, but then he had the surgery and had to go on a liquid diet. Now he's back on solid food and the food issues are back and even more than they were before. He would eat constantly all day long if I would let him. If I dare go in the kitchen, he is right there begging. And I have to constantly tell him to slow down because he just shoves food in his mouth.
Some people may suggest to just have healthy food available to him. That's what we give him mostly but he would he 7 bananas a day if allowed.
This was kind of funny: Yesterday we were driving past Publix and he screamed out with his "I want some of that food" scream. He wanted the free cookie. He saw the Publix sign and wanted the cookie.
Meanwhile, Bethy ate five days ago so she's too full for a cookie....... ; )
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