What do we do when there are potentially more challenges with feeding?
In the eighth episode of Beyond Weight - a NEW series that asks the question “how can we manage health concerns without focusing on weight loss, food restriction, and body shame?” Jill is speaking with Deb Blakley, a nutritionist and mum who is passionate about kids learning to love food from birth and beyond. Deb loves working with children and families who are struggling with fussy eaters; problem feeders; children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Which is what we're talking about today!
In this episode, we discuss:
- How Deb started working with very picky eaters
- The biggest struggles for all families when it comes to feeding our children
- Why teaching kids about nutrition and health is problematic
- When a big part of feeding therapy is reminding parents that their child has the ability to learn and grow
- Why rigidity helps neurodiverse kids feel safe and preserve energy
- How to work with that rigidity at the child’s pace
- The importance of a multidisciplinary approach
- Helping kids do well away from the table, affects how well they do at the table
- Other types of feeding therapies for autism and why they don’t often work: pressure, contextual learning, food agendas
- Why focusing on the journey is SO important when progress is slow
- The difference between “getting a kid to eat a certain food” and teaching parents how to feed
- Cutting out foods for neurodiverse kids: Yay or Nay?
- Evaluating whether your child can tolerate restriction
- Setting realistic expectations for progress and setting kids up for success
- Coping with nutritional worries when you have a very picky/rigid eater
LINKS:
You can find Deb at Kids Dig Food.
