refusing new foods

[jennandsophie]

Oh my Elise.  So sorry that M has to have all these test to get a proper diagnosis.  I have no experience with lamb at all, as I don't like it and never make it at home.  I'm sure these ladies will have some great ideas for you.  Hugs for all you're going through.

[creations]

Oh dear, your LO is going through it eh!
I hope the tests are not awful and come up with a solution for you.

Lamb.  I am rubbish at cooking it because I didn't eat any meat other than fish and poultry for over 20 years...but DS likes it so I now try to make it sometimes.  I have found DS likes it really tender, the first time was lamb shank at a restaurant, literally falling off the bone, gave him long pieces that he could pick up and he just ate and ate.  Getting him to eat meat is a rare thing so it was amazing.
So I would say a long slow roast in the oven, without any seasoning but you might need some water in the roasting tin as many recipes have a liquid?

You could experiment with an oat recipe.  I make lots of variations of these and I either spread them on the baking tray to about 1cm thick then mark out fingers/squares before baking, then cut again after baking whilst warm (like flap jacks) or I dollop the mix into mini muffin trays.  I suggest the spreading out method as it produces a 'chew' that LO can bite and gum on where as the muffin tray ones are harder to eat.
I make with bananas and a variety of fruit plus some some vanilla extract but I think you'd get something worth trying with just pear and oil.

I would try using cooked pear puree (the equivalent of about 3 bananas worth if that makes sense)
1-2 pears raw grated
2 cups of oats
1/3 cup oil (whatever sort you feel safe with)

With the oats, I have found it nice to whizz half (or I add a third cup worth of whizzed to the 2 cups non-whizzed) for a few seconds so it is ground down, to give a finer blend.

Mix everything thoroughly and leave to stand for a minimum of 15 mins so the oats soak up the moisture.  Spread on baking parchment on a baking sheet, mark out with knife.
Bake at 175c for about 20 mins.

These are not pleasant to eat warm (not like cookies, muffins or fresh bread!), leave to cool fully before eating.  They are quite spongy when straight out of the oven but firm up into more of a flap jack or cooky type texture.  They are similar to the oat bars that Organix make for LOs.
I keep a batch in the fridge in an air tight container, they freeze great so if he doesn't go for them the first time just chuck them all in the freezer and you can defrost 1 at a later date for the next oat trial.

As it will look like a completely different food I don't think he will feel cheated that there is something hidden in the pear iyswim.

[ENMS]

Thanks Creations

I don't like lamb either so have never cooked it really. Did it once in puree for DS. I went to the store and could not get a lamb shank. Will have to try a better one tomorrow. In the meantime I bought some organic ground pork which I am slowly cooking now. Not sure if it'll be good but worth a try. I was tempted to buy pork tenderloin but wasn't sure how in the world he would eat that. Will try the pork now just as is, not pureeing it. It is ground fine fine so he should be able to just eat the little pieces.

So according to this doc and this diagnosis (which I will fully believe once we get the scope but in the meantime am trying to follow the advice for diet), I can't give him carbs nor fruits. So that cuts out oats and pears. Since pears gives him only a mild reaction, I am keeping it at least once a day still. 

Will keep you all posted tonight on how it goes for the pork. Thank you for your support ladies you are wonderful. I am feeling teary and overwhelmed right now and I am so glad I have you to help me make sense of this all

[ENMS]

well, not too interested in the pork 

I'm seriously considering feeding therapy at this point. the problem is not so much the restrictions I have on his diet, but the fact that he refuses anything new at this point. 

[jennandsophie]

Just wondering if there is such a thing as a specialist in this area that you could maybe consult with.  I haven't heard of it before, but I imagine that there must be professionals like this to help with kids who have issues with food and eating.

[ENMS]

Apparently occupational therapists can do that. I'm trying to find some in my area now that can help us.

I'm hoping I can get him to accept new foods without adverse reactions so that we can avoid the trauma of an invasive procedure for him. In a long while he has only accepted pears so maybe after all he's much better now and doesn't need all that stuff, but we can't know unless he's willing to accept new foods 

[jennandsophie]

Hopefully you can find someone to help soon.  I wonder if he gets hungry enough, would he be more willing to try some food?  Obviously you don't want to deprive him of the nutrition he needs from his milk, but maybe just skip one milk feed and then try to feed him solids an hour later? 

[ENMS]

Yeah you're probably right too.  I always feed him solids before his milk, but if he refuses I just move on to his milk. Maybe I shouldn't make it 'that' automatic. It wouldn't deprive him, but he'd know that if he doesn't eat his solids, he won't drink his milk any faster.

Thanks Jenn!

[creations]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear things aren't going well.  It must be really hard for you, big hugs.

Would a visit to a paediatric dietician help do you think?

he is so against trying the new foods I'd be tempted to just give him anything!

[ENMS]

he is so against trying the new foods I'd be tempted to just give him anything!

exactly what I was telling DH last night 

I figure I'll make us a meal of all things that are supposedly 'safe' for him, pork, brocoli, and then if he's interested let him take some from my plate.

We are already in contact with a dietetician but because of the FPIES diagnosis (she is the hospital dietetician) she will not recommend to us anything other than trying one food at a time. She helps me select new foods and gives me good advice, but unfortunately it hasn,t helped much (so far).

Either way now we're trialling 2-3 foods at the same time. Brocoli at lunch, pork tonight. I'll continue to offer more variety than usual, taking on from your idea of offering lots and at worse, I'll restrict once he takes to one of the items. I figure if I keep a detailed food journal, with detail information on his symptoms, I'll be able to find the culprit anyway

[Buntybear]

I don't think it can hurt giving 2 or 3 foods at a time. It is when you gave something lie pizza and then he reacts you are stuffed to know what he reacted too! At least with such restrictions it usn't too hard to find the culprit xx keep persevering, food is fun at all that lol xx

[ENMS]

yep I'm wild now 2 foods at a time LOL

4 bites of brocoli tonight D

total refusal at daycare but he took 4 bites from me (willingly).

[creations]

4 bites of brocoli tonight

That's GREAT!

[jennandsophie]

Woo hoo for the broccoli!!!!

[amayzie]

Hi hon- Just reading along... I was going to suggest seeing a speech pathologist or occupational therapist or both to give you some ideas as well. The issues your LO is having seem to be multifaceted if you get me and may have originated from reflux pain, but the other issues he's having will also be contributing. All of the PP suggestions are really great. Anything that keeps the control with him is going to be a winner- and avoiding force feeding him, this may make your troubles worse.

Another thing you can try is to offer him foods using a nuk trainer toothbrush. This is bumpy and gives 'texture' in his mouth but not with the food. http://ds5cvxtqu2rt0.cloudfront.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/1/1/11472fl_lg.jpg any brand of this will do pretty much...

Also- you can try using a behavioural method. I've in the past used something like a car on a ramp: http://www.ecotoys.com.au/product-pics/Ramp-racer.jpg (or something) and put it where the baby can see it but not get it.  the toy needs to be simple, visual, exciting and easily repeatable. You start by showing him how the toy works (you do it not him- he doesn't do it). Then offer him some food, if he takes it then do the car again. Do the car after each successful mouthful.  To start you may want to try something like doing the car if he just gets the food on his lip say- then increase it fromthere.

Also- how is he sitting in the high chair? supported? are his feet supported? It's important that he;s feeling very secure and supported. This can help him to eat and feed himself better.

Lots of people have had success with a really soft rubbery spoon. you can try this? something small like this can be good: http://www.babyzonedirect.com.au/tommee-tippee-soft-scoop-spoon-twin-pack.html The spoon is so soft and flexible it can really help bubs with aversions.

encourage him to play with the food as much as possible- every time you are eating pop something on his plate to have a play with- if not to eat it. He needs to become familiar and comfortable with the foods he's eating.

You may find that skipping the lumpy puree stage is a good idea. Lots of bubs/kids and even adults (my sister for example) find this consistency aversive. Move straight to soft cooked finger foods instead, and bite an dissolve foods like the puffs you describe.

I do strongly suggest that you look into seeing a speech pathologist specialising in paediatric feeding issues. Here they are usually located at the hospitals. I think too though that in canada that the Occu[ational therapists may also do this- have an investigate. If there was somewhere where a team could be involved, dietitian, paediatrician SP andOT then that would be best.