Uh oh, I'm losing, but so is my special needs child
alphastarz
Posts: 55 Member
Need ideas of what type of foods any of you can suggest for helping an underweight ADHD/ASD/lactose intolerant child gain weight while not derailing my attempts to lose weight. Stocking the pantry with junk food (chips, soda, oven french fries) like we were accustomed to appease him before is too tempting for me in my own fight against obesity, and cooking double so he doesn't pitch a fit about the healthier foods we are trying is overwhelming. To be specific, he is underweight and Losing currently, enough that Dr. Is worried about the trend.
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Kids clif bars do it for my kids5
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Find his TDEE and feed him above it. It can be healthy, nutritious food. It doesn't have to be industrial junk because that would be unfair to you.1
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My eldest is a fruitaholic which helps. Does he have any favourite healthy foods? Also, if you buy things really for him, you may be able to resist it better.0
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Could you handle having smucker's peanut butter around the house?
... I know it's hard. I cook double. Only way.
Ensure drinks have 350 calories, and kids say it taste good (In case it's really bad). Not sure lactose content.
Could you buy fast food for him only from time to time?
For ADD I've read fish oil could help.0 -
Did the doc have some suggestions?
Probably you can make similar foods for yourself that you make for him: fries for him; baked fries for yourself.0 -
Does he like peanut butter? That can be a good way to add calories. Avocado? Butter? Oils? I have petit, slender boys and I worry too. My 2 year old eats far worse than my eldest though.2
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I also second the peanut butter. My daughter (ASD) loves it. Still trying to convince her to try it on Apple slices but it'll come eventually.
And I know it'd be high cal for you, but mashed potatoes is always a hit. I make them 2-3x a week. I just have smaller portions and load up on extra veggies as well3 -
When my younger son was a toddler, he was very underweight and I added heavy cream and cream of coconut (I think that's what it was) to anything I reasonably could. I also got some sort of pediasure type drink that wasn't milk based. Sort of more like high calorie juice/koolaid. I thought it would be more appealing in the heat of summer. I can't remember the name but he seemed to like it well enough and it was something like 250-300 calories per juice box. In his case I had to make every bit or sip count because he wouldn't eat in any quantity. Good luck! I remember how frustrating it was and I wasn't trying to watch my own weight then, but I noticed that all the focus on calories and how the little one was eating was making my 5 year old notice and pay more attention than I thought was healthy.1
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He's already eating peanut butter sandwiches daily, I'll try doubling since heaven forbid he does eat them. He throws away large portions of dinner (casseroles, meat and potatoes, vegetables) and teacher reports he's throwing away the crackers and fruit cups that were being packed in his lunch. We saw the psych today which sees and weighs him more frequently than developmental pediatrician... His initial suggestions of things like ensure or carnation breakfast don't work because the lactose intolerance, he punted to the Dev ped for follow up on his diet which we have to wait to get an appointment. He will try to steal sausage... I mean like he'll want to eat 20+ links in one sitting with no moderation. But I'm not sure letting him go that unchecked with sausage is a good idea? He doesn't seem to be able to feel or realize he's hungry or full, he just eats or refuses based on if he likes the food.0
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No butter (lactose)0
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I'm totally going to see if he might go for these. He does like granola bars with chocolate, but can't normally give since the chocolate/lactose issue. And he rather starve than eat the raisin ones.williammuney wrote: »Kids clif bars do it for my kids
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Cream of coconut?! Oh I will have to try a smoothy recipe with this as a sub and see if he will tolerate. Also apparently need to head back to the pediasure aisle at a larger grocer and recheck labels, I didn't initially see any that were dairy free or a high calorie juice version at the first place I looked.When my younger son was a toddler, he was very underweight and I added heavy cream and cream of coconut (I think that's what it was) to anything I reasonably could. I also got some sort of pediasure type drink that wasn't milk based. Sort of more like high calorie juice/koolaid. I thought it would be more appealing in the heat of summer. I can't remember the name but he seemed to like it well enough and it was something like 250-300 calories per juice box. In his case I had to make every bit or sip count because he wouldn't eat in any quantity. Good luck! I remember how frustrating it was and I wasn't trying to watch my own weight then, but I noticed that all the focus on calories and how the little one was eating was making my 5 year old notice and pay more attention than I thought was healthy.
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alphastarz wrote: »He's already eating peanut butter sandwiches daily, I'll try doubling since heaven forbid he does eat them. He throws away large portions of dinner (casseroles, meat and potatoes, vegetables) and teacher reports he's throwing away the crackers and fruit cups that were being packed in his lunch. We saw the psych today which sees and weighs him more frequently than developmental pediatrician... His initial suggestions of things like ensure or carnation breakfast don't work because the lactose intolerance, he punted to the Dev ped for follow up on his diet which we have to wait to get an appointment. He will try to steal sausage... I mean like he'll want to eat 20+ links in one sitting with no moderation. But I'm not sure letting him go that unchecked with sausage is a good idea? He doesn't seem to be able to feel or realize he's hungry or full, he just eats or refuses based on if he likes the food.
If the child is underweight and likes sausages, give him sausages.16 -
My child will only eat chicken. but lives aero bars and peanut butter cups. his doc was worried he was losing weight, I'm sure the mis weighed him but I always have a supply if aeros or Pb cups on hand. If he wants them for breakfast why not. If he wants nuggets for breakfast sure. We are regulars at McDonald's because it's lots of calories...I get a salad.1
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Peanut butter and banana sandwiches?1
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Why is it overwhelming to cook a little larger portion for him? If you cook large batches, you will have leftovers for a few days, or something to freeze, so it will be less stressful in the long run. A supplement like Pediasure could add calories and nutrition, if the doctor approves of it.0
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As someone on the autism spectrum I can attest that it was hard for me as a child (and now) to tell if I'm full or hungry so that might be something to watch out for with letting him gorge on sausage, though letting him eat a lot of it and other foods he likes, up to a point shouldn't hurt.
I was at the other end of the scale as a child and thinking back, it would have helped me to have food explained to me in depth because it's never been intuitive that you need a certain number of calories to grow and they should be from nutritionally dense foods and if you go over a certain amount then it can make you fat. But it depends on the reasoning abilities of the child. If there's a way to make eating enough part of his routine or if he has the ability to track things/is mathematically inclined then having him track his calorie intake could be helpful. But that's just coming from my own experiences and all autistics obviously have different strengths/weaknesses/interests.
Along the same track, trying new foods is hard for most people on the spectrum. An idea, if he does well with charts/lists, is making a chart or list of foods he hasn't tried and going through it with him over time might be helpful for finding more things that he enjoys, I try to try one new food a month as an adult and most of the time I don't like them but sometimes I do. Trying foods that are similar to ones he will already eat small portions of might be a good way to go, or even trying things cooked different ways (or not cooked if he does better with raw vegetables).
I hope my suggestions were at least a little bit helpful.9 -
alphastarz wrote: »
Cream of coconut?! Oh I will have to try a smoothy recipe with this as a sub and see if he will tolerate. Also apparently need to head back to the pediasure aisle at a larger grocer and recheck labels, I didn't initially see any that were dairy free or a high calorie juice version at the first place I looked.When my younger son was a toddler, he was very underweight and I added heavy cream and cream of coconut (I think that's what it was) to anything I reasonably could. I also got some sort of pediasure type drink that wasn't milk based. Sort of more like high calorie juice/koolaid. I thought it would be more appealing in the heat of summer. I can't remember the name but he seemed to like it well enough and it was something like 250-300 calories per juice box. In his case I had to make every bit or sip count because he wouldn't eat in any quantity. Good luck! I remember how frustrating it was and I wasn't trying to watch my own weight then, but I noticed that all the focus on calories and how the little one was eating was making my 5 year old notice and pay more attention than I thought was healthy.
Try asking YOUR doctor. We run into this from time to time with our little old people (I work in ICU). They come in with failure to thrive and anorexia (not anorexia nervosa) and we have to supplement them. But they frequently don't do well on the the lactose heavy supplements because they cause... lets just call it fast bowel syndrome. The food has to stay in there long enough for the nutrients to be digested.
Most of the stuff we use is actually perscription, but a talk with a doctor who handles geriatric cases as well as regular family practice, or maybe even a pharmacist at a large drug store might help you to find a lactose free gainer type drink.
IIRC, they make some that are basically super fortified orange juice. Might see if you could find something like that.1 -
Can you give him high calorie nutritional supplement shakes between meals? They typically sell that at drugstores and supermarkets. They are tasty enough, but I doubt you'd reach for that to satisfy any type of craving. I suspect they could be blended up with a banana or peanut butter.0
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skinnyforhi wrote: »Can you give him high calorie nutritional supplement shakes between meals? They typically sell that at drugstores and supermarkets. They are tasty enough, but I doubt you'd reach for that to satisfy any type of craving. I suspect they could be blended up with a banana or peanut butter.
Ah- I forgot to mention you'd have to look for lactose free ones. I thought they made them, but I haven't bought them. They could be sold on Amazon or a specialty store. Dried fruit can also be high calorie (though pricey). I can house a bag of dried mangos in one sitting.1 -
fluorescentdark wrote: »As someone on the autism spectrum I can attest that it was hard for me as a child (and now) to tell if I'm full or hungry
Thank you for this perspective. My Autistic son has been going through a no breakfast phase - even though I think he should be hungry, he refuses to eat. (He also will say he's hungry and full in one sentence, so now I understand a bit better that he may not be able to distinguish between the 2).
OP, my boy has eating troubles. For dinner, he gets a reward (fun sized candy bar) if he eats 1 protein, 1 carb, and 1 fruit or veg. I made a social story giving simple explanations of why we need each and he gets to choose what is on his plate.
We are going to begin working with a behavioral health professional to start introducing new foods.5 -
Give the boy sausage! LOL. And like you mentioned, more peanut butter. Coconut cream is one of the highest calorie things around, so make shakes out of that. Protein bars. Pure protein is really yummy. Lactose free full fat milk.1
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My daughter has cerebral palsy and she is typically underweight. I don't make my meals the same as hers because I try and cook everything she eats with full fat. So when I would eat light cheese, she eats full fat cheese. When I might drink skim milk, she drinks homo milk. If I buy 0% fat yogurt then I buy her the 2.5% etc. That is what her pediatrician recommended for her. She doesn't eat a lot of junk because that's no good. I try not to eat peanut butter because it is so high cal but why can't she eat tons of it? Also avocados (or avocado oil if he won't eat avocados), pasta, Ensure drinks...etc. Most of this stuff I can still eat but in smaller portions or like I said I just buy full fat and light of the same product.1
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You can make granola bars at home. Trader Joes has dark chocolate bars that have no milk. You could cut them into pieces and mix them in your granola/nut/honey mixture or melt it and drizzle on top.0
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coconut oil is high calorie nutritious and easy to hide in foods. my daughter couldn't swallow solid food until 14 months has many food allergies and I used to make chocolate cookies with vegan protein powder. I would put scoops of mixture onto baking paper and freeze. then just take out a couple to cook for her everyday.1
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You could try adding a bit more fat to his diet such as olive oil or coconut oil. They are fairly easy to hide if taste is an issue.1
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alphastarz wrote: »Need ideas of what type of foods any of you can suggest for helping an underweight ADHD/ASD/lactose intolerant child gain weight while not derailing my attempts to lose weight. Stocking the pantry with junk food (chips, soda, oven french fries) like we were accustomed to appease him before is too tempting for me in my own fight against obesity, and cooking double so he doesn't pitch a fit about the healthier foods we are trying is overwhelming. To be specific, he is underweight and Losing currently, enough that Dr. Is worried about the trend.
I would not worry about myself...only my child. Thats just me though.7 -
Ditto to the folks who are also on the autism spectrum that agree with your assessment of your son that he may have no idea when he's hungry or full. Is he currently in OT? That really helped me with that issue. It's not even "normal" but I can at least tell if I'm starving, stuffed, or somewhere in between. So yeah I wouldn't let him eat a million sausages. There are some great frozen pre-cooked sausages, or cook your own and freeze them. Use them as supplemental calories with breakfast or dinner since you know he'll eat them! For lunch, yes ok junk food is not the best way to manipulate weight, but maybe buy some individual serving packs of cookies or fruit snacks or whatever he likes to send in his lunch? Then count them with him every day so you're not tempted to steal a pack!!1
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Is he opposed to trying new foods? Does he have any food texture issues? Date bars may be an option. They are simple to make: dried fruits, dates and ground nuts in a food processor until it forms into a uniform ball then chill and cut.
If no new foods work I would just go back to how things are and disassociate yourself from the foods you used to stock thinking something like "It's his not mine".1
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