Helpful Nutrition Tips for Raising Children with FASD

Jun 23

Garbage in, garbage out. How we nourish our body extends to our mind and spirit.

With thanks to our parenting support group, the hubby and I attended a webinar with a nutritionist that works with individuals with FASD.

Our 8.5 year old T is characteristically a picky eater - or as I learned through this webinar, a neurodiverse-appropriate term is "selective eater."

The nutritionist summarized a few factors that affect eating habits for individuals with FASD - and I bolded the traits we see in T:

Sensory integration with food
Selective eating
Oral - poor swallowing or oral aversion
Fine and gross motor challenges with eating
Eating in excess is called Hyperphagia
Not eating enough
Not finishing meals
Medication can increase or decrease appetite

The nutritionist also reviewed general healthy diet guidelines:

Eat rainbow of colours for fiber, nutrients and antioxidants
Balanced meal of fiber, fat and protein
Focus on whole, unprocessed foods
Avoid additives, preservatives, food dyes, sugar
Blood sugar crashes can be the reason for anger and behaviours
Keep hydrating

Then she provided tips for caregivers:

Keep a food journal
Allow time to finish meals and allow messiness if it helps
Avoid distraction during mealtimes
Have emergency snacks to prevent blood sugar crashes
Include children in meal planning
Explore different ways to prepare food
Eating out
Foods high in omega 3, choline; antioxidant rich foods
Exercise
Emergency snacks

T has come a long way with his nutritional habits.

A few months ago, out of the blue, he decided he wanted to eat oatmeal for breakfast, which we pair with yogurt then his multivitamins.

This is a huge win as it replaced his sugary cereal.

Lunch and dinner can still be a struggle. We often cycle through the same 3-4 starch rich meals - but we try not to stress about it. If he wants pancakes for dinner, pancakes it is.

Fruit is a staple but veggies are avoided - even cussed at.

Multivitamins have been helpful and we've been giving him "Smarty Pants" gummies, which have choline, for a few years now - along with a separate Vitamin D gummy.

Meat is a challenge, but he gets protein through yogurt, milk and cheese - and McDonald's chicken nuggets and hamburgers and Taco Bell if you consider that meat!

T recently ate not one, but two of these meaty beauties, in one sitting.

Recently, T wanted to try BBQ burgers and ate two meaty prime rib burgers from the supermarket - PC brand is the best. This was a huge win.

As the person who does the groceries, I've cut out sugary snacks, like Oreos, weaning T off them slowly, and that's a win.

We recently took away the tablet during mealtimes so T can focus on his meal - and heaven forbid, socialize with us too.

Perhaps an important ingredient is doing our best to role model healthy eating habits.

The hubby and I have been transparent with T about our health journey - and we openly celebrate the incremental wins together with T.

Since starting his diet in January, the hubby has now lost 50 of his 100 pound goal - and T tells the hubby he's said he won't be able cuddle with him when he's not fat anymore.

I also have ongoing conversations with T about the importance of exercise - and why gym is part of my ongoing routine.

Slowly but surely, T will get where he needs to be.

As T's fortune cookie from our recent Fathers Day lunch at Asian Legend - pictured at top - said: "You will make many changes before settling down happily."