Can't Eat, Won't Eat: Dietary Difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorders

209 Pages·2008·3.091 MB·English

by  Brenda Legge

Can’t Eat, Won’t Eat
http://avaxhome.ws/blogs/ChrisRedfield
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Can’t Eat, Won’t Eat
Dietary Difficulties
and Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Brenda Legge
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and New York
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inaccordancewiththeCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988.
FirstpublishedintheUnitedKingdomin2002by
JessicaKingsleyPublishersLtd,
116PentonvilleRoad,London
N19JB,England
and
29West35thStreet,10thfl.
NewYork,NY10001-2299,USA
www.jkp.com
©Copyright2002BrendaLegge
Secondimpression2004
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Legge,Brenda,1955-
Can’teat,wonteat:dietarydifficultiesandtheautismspectrum/BrendaLegge.
p.cm.
“FirstpublishedintheUnitedKingdomin2001.”
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN1-85302-974-2(alk.paper)
1.Autisminchildren--Nutritionalaspects.2.Eatingdisorders.I.Title.
RJ506.A9L4442002
618.92’8982--dc21 2001053706
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
ACIPcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
ISBN1853029742
PrintedandBoundinGreatBritainby
AthenaeumPress,Gateshead,TyneandWear
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Introduction 9
1 Beyond Faddiness 11
2 Improvements and Setbacks 25
3 I Blame the Parents 42
4 Throw out the Rule Book 54
5 Survey Results 63
6 Hints and Tips 81
7 More Hints and Tips 100
8 What We Think of Food 115
9 Social Difficulties 128
10 Exclusion Diets 138
11 Doctors and Dentists 148
12 Professional Advice 158
13 Great Ormond Street 166
14 Back to School 176
15 All Food is Good Food 189
EPILOGUE 194
BIBLIOGRAPHY 196
USEFULADDRESSES 197
ADDITIONALTHANKS 199
INDEX 200
Acknowledgements
Manythanksto:
(cid:127)
Harry,forprovidingtheinspirationforthisbook,andnotcharging
meforit
(cid:127)
myhusband,Beverley,forhisinvaluablehelpandsupport
(cid:127)
FrankDickensforhiscartoonofHarry,inspiredbyastorybyour
goodfriendJamesLeavey
(cid:127)
myfriendSharonforherhumour,enthusiasmandfornaggingmeto
getonwithit
(cid:127)
Babs,forHarry-sittingonmanyoccasions
(cid:127)
everyonewhomadethetimeandefforttocompleteandreturnmy
questionnaires.
Special thanks to Brenda and Kenneth, David, Gill and Rachel, Sally
andMiranda,KatharineandJames,JanetandAlexander,Micheleand
Bradley, Deirdre and Charles, Felicity and Charlie, Lynne and David,
Anna Parton and Robert, Ros Blackburn, Colin Revell, Catherine
Dendy,JanetDunn,KathyCranmerandAnneFarrelly.
In memory of dearest Heather, my much
loved sister-in-law, who gave me a lot of
encouragement with this project
I’drathergointhecookingpotthaneatanyof thatrubbish.
Introduction
For most of the population food is a source of comfort, pleasure and
security. We actively look forward to mealtimes, promise ourselves
culinary treats when the pressure is on and reward ourselves with
gourmetmealsoutonspecialoccasions.Thisiscertainlymyexperience
offood,butmyson’sviewissomewhatdifferent.Forhimfoodcanbea
source of fear, or even revulsion. This has been the case from day one
andhe’snotalone.It’sclaimedthataround1in20childrenunderthe
ageof5havefeedingproblems(BatchelorandKerslake1990),butsta-
tisticslikethiscanbealittlemisleadingiftheyaretakenoutofcontext.
I believe it’s important to look at the unique problems experienced by
various subgroups. For example, feeding difficulties seem to be more
prevalentinchildrenwithdevelopmentaldisabilities;it’sestimatedthat
around one-third will experience this type of problem.
I’vewrittenthisbookforparentsofchildrenwhohavebeenplaced
somewhere within that hazy category known as autistic spectrum dis-
orders (ASD). More specifically, for those who have offspring with a
real fear or dislike of food, I am not talking about the fussy or faddy
eater who is a little picky about food, but the child who has a real
aversiontotryinganythingnewandturnseverymealintoabattlewith
the inevitable result – Parents Nil: Stroppy Kid One.
My son is now 11 years old and was diagnosed with Asperger’s
syndrome(AS)severalyearsago.Whilethisdiagnosiswasn’tacausefor
celebration,hishostilitytowardseverymealIplacedbeforehimcaused
me the greatest amount of anguish. Naturally, I wanted to read all I
possibly could on the subject, but while there were lots of books on
autism in general and Asperger’s syndrome in particular, there seemed
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