So, What's He Eat?
A lot of you have been asking me for updates on Keegan's food issues. It deserves its' own official post today.
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, Keegan has sensory issues and struggles to eat tables foods (or even touch them with his hands). He also doesn't eat much quantity-wise for other reasons. I've blogged a couple of times about it if you wants some history: Link 1, Link 2.
Let me try to answer all the FAQ's below.....
1. Is he getting better? If I look at Keegan over the past year, I can definitely see progress. He touches food with his hands much better and doesn't freak out about it. He has also been willing to taste new foods when threatened or motivated in the right ways. :) On the other hand, if I only look at Keegan in the past month or few months, I do not see progress and get discouraged. I try to look at the big, overall picture. He's been eating some baby food again lately which is good and bad.
2. Is he gaining weight? I do not know if he's gained weight; I honestly don't weigh him. I'd rather not be pressured by numbers. I measure progress in terms of what he's willing to touch or taste instead.
3. What do the doctors say? His occupational therapy program ended last December. We only see the pediatrician yearly now. They were both helpful in the past but we hit a roadblock. I'd love to see a therapist at the hospital who specializes in food issues but it's all out of pocket so we haven't been back there. So, we are sort of on our own trying some things right now.
4. So, what does he eat? Here is the basic list of what he will consistently eat. There are other things he has tasted or ate during a phase, but these are the things he will eat now, pretty consistently.
Meat: McDonald's or Burger King Chicken Nuggets-- if he's really hungry and it's the only choice (he no longer will eat nuggets made at home like the frozen kind)
Veggies: Raw carrots, cherry tomotoes, sometimes cucumber
Fruit: Pineapple, apples, mandarin oranges (canned), banana if he's desparate, raisins/craisins
Dairy: Milk, drinkable yogurt
Grains: Plain white bread slice, plain pasta only if shaped like Mickey Mouse or Cars
Junk/Other: Peanuts, various crackers, Pringles (only 3 flavors), Pop Tarts, Cocoa Pebbles cereal, granola bar (w/ chocolate chips), mini marshmallows, various cookies (nothing w/ peanut butter though), candy, 2 flavors of baby food, fruit snacks or fruit strips (pic below), mini donuts (powdered sugar or chocolate), popcorn, pretzels, potato sticks (in a canister in the chip aisle), graham crackers
That is pretty much it. He used to eat cheese but not really anymore. I also had him eating some OreIda alphabet shaped tator tots too for awhile but no longer. I'm currently working to get him to eat ice cream now because it's high in calories (I should know!). He likes foods that make his tongue turn colors so I bought him blue ice cream. We've also gotten him to eat the icing off cake at some recent graduation parties because they had blue icing. So, I think we're doing better in the ice cream department.
I'll try to make the next blog post a little more exciting.
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, Keegan has sensory issues and struggles to eat tables foods (or even touch them with his hands). He also doesn't eat much quantity-wise for other reasons. I've blogged a couple of times about it if you wants some history: Link 1, Link 2. Let me try to answer all the FAQ's below.....
1. Is he getting better? If I look at Keegan over the past year, I can definitely see progress. He touches food with his hands much better and doesn't freak out about it. He has also been willing to taste new foods when threatened or motivated in the right ways. :) On the other hand, if I only look at Keegan in the past month or few months, I do not see progress and get discouraged. I try to look at the big, overall picture. He's been eating some baby food again lately which is good and bad.
2. Is he gaining weight? I do not know if he's gained weight; I honestly don't weigh him. I'd rather not be pressured by numbers. I measure progress in terms of what he's willing to touch or taste instead.
3. What do the doctors say? His occupational therapy program ended last December. We only see the pediatrician yearly now. They were both helpful in the past but we hit a roadblock. I'd love to see a therapist at the hospital who specializes in food issues but it's all out of pocket so we haven't been back there. So, we are sort of on our own trying some things right now.
4. So, what does he eat? Here is the basic list of what he will consistently eat. There are other things he has tasted or ate during a phase, but these are the things he will eat now, pretty consistently.
Meat: McDonald's or Burger King Chicken Nuggets-- if he's really hungry and it's the only choice (he no longer will eat nuggets made at home like the frozen kind)
Veggies: Raw carrots, cherry tomotoes, sometimes cucumber
Fruit: Pineapple, apples, mandarin oranges (canned), banana if he's desparate, raisins/craisins
Dairy: Milk, drinkable yogurt
Grains: Plain white bread slice, plain pasta only if shaped like Mickey Mouse or Cars
Junk/Other: Peanuts, various crackers, Pringles (only 3 flavors), Pop Tarts, Cocoa Pebbles cereal, granola bar (w/ chocolate chips), mini marshmallows, various cookies (nothing w/ peanut butter though), candy, 2 flavors of baby food, fruit snacks or fruit strips (pic below), mini donuts (powdered sugar or chocolate), popcorn, pretzels, potato sticks (in a canister in the chip aisle), graham crackers
That is pretty much it. He used to eat cheese but not really anymore. I also had him eating some OreIda alphabet shaped tator tots too for awhile but no longer. I'm currently working to get him to eat ice cream now because it's high in calories (I should know!). He likes foods that make his tongue turn colors so I bought him blue ice cream. We've also gotten him to eat the icing off cake at some recent graduation parties because they had blue icing. So, I think we're doing better in the ice cream department.Thanks for everyone who continues to ask about him. It's a battle here at mealtimes but I know that God has a purpose. It's definitely teaching me some patience! :)
I'll try to make the next blog post a little more exciting.
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