Are you wondering if The Eating Game would help your child improve their eating habits? Here are a few questions to consider…………………….
Does your child self restrict their diet?
Do they like being in control whenever possible?
Have you dealt with the possibility of medical, food allergy, sensory issues related to food?
Have they eaten more foods in their lifetime than they are now?
My theory is that for a lot of kids with autism and not, self restricting their diet to a small number of foods is managable so they always know what they will be eating - no surprises, no changes, a very predictable eating environment.
Does your child communicate well verbally?
Do they like structure and routine?
Do they respond positively to visual support systems?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions I would suggest you ask more questions, find out more about what is involved, how it works.
Become a fan of The Eating Game Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eating-Game/117743845389 and post your question on the wall.
Look at the photo album http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=117743845389&aid=307264 and read the captions under each picture.
Become Jean Nicol's friend (she is the inventor) at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1489691121 and send her a message.
Showing posts with label picky eaters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label picky eaters. Show all posts
Friday, October 14, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
A Very Special Visual Support System
As a special education teacher I had created many visual support systems for children but never had the time to prepare more than what was needed. I knew what I had created for this little boy (see http://on.fb.me/gDWmRd ) could help many more children and families and now as a semi retired person I had the time to make more. So I did! It was a very special visual support system that would enable many to plan and eat a healthier diet.
What I had created for this little boy he called his "Canada Food Guide Game" I wasn't sure such a serious issue should be called a game and his response was "Well, it is FUN!" So a "game"it was and I used it as an acronym for Get Awesome Meals Everyday.
The name changed to The Eating Game to accomodate Copyright and the Patent Application and my innovative and actually quite simple solution would continue to help hundreds more children and families deal with helping picky eaters, obsessive eaters, those who are non verbal, those with developmental delays.
Since the launch of the original Eating Game four years ago, I have launched 2 more Eating Game products:
1) Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners for those who need an eating game to help them have a healthier diet but don't need the 200+ food pictures for their visual planner. This was in response to customer request and is being used by many to eat a healthy diet. It has helped some of us lose weight or battle eating obsessions and has helped some eat more as needed.
2) The MIY Eating Game Kit - it is The Eating Game in a Make It Yourself format; I supply all the materials you need(laminated charts and pictures and velcro type fastener) to make your own Eating Game. This was in response to many folks who said they would love to have an Eating Game but could not afford it; this enabled me to cut 38% off the price of The Eating Game so that more kids could benefit.
And now you know the rest of the story ~ that was four years ago and because The Eating Game has helped so many children and their families it has become my passion to share it with others in the hopes that it will maybe help even one more person! I have to honestly say that each day my passion is enriched as is the health of many children!
What I had created for this little boy he called his "Canada Food Guide Game" I wasn't sure such a serious issue should be called a game and his response was "Well, it is FUN!" So a "game"it was and I used it as an acronym for Get Awesome Meals Everyday.
The name changed to The Eating Game to accomodate Copyright and the Patent Application and my innovative and actually quite simple solution would continue to help hundreds more children and families deal with helping picky eaters, obsessive eaters, those who are non verbal, those with developmental delays.
Since the launch of the original Eating Game four years ago, I have launched 2 more Eating Game products:
1) Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners for those who need an eating game to help them have a healthier diet but don't need the 200+ food pictures for their visual planner. This was in response to customer request and is being used by many to eat a healthy diet. It has helped some of us lose weight or battle eating obsessions and has helped some eat more as needed.
2) The MIY Eating Game Kit - it is The Eating Game in a Make It Yourself format; I supply all the materials you need(laminated charts and pictures and velcro type fastener) to make your own Eating Game. This was in response to many folks who said they would love to have an Eating Game but could not afford it; this enabled me to cut 38% off the price of The Eating Game so that more kids could benefit.
And now you know the rest of the story ~ that was four years ago and because The Eating Game has helped so many children and their families it has become my passion to share it with others in the hopes that it will maybe help even one more person! I have to honestly say that each day my passion is enriched as is the health of many children!
The New MIY Eating Game Kit
PLEASE NOTE: For the month of September 2011 $15 from the sale of each MIY Kit will be donated to Ayn's Freedom Fund https://www.facebook.com/groups/justiceforayn/doc/160505254022970/
This is the same EATING GAME that is making a difference for many picky eaters and children with autism. It is just in a MIY (Make It Yourself) kit format that you assemble yourself, allowing us to pass on a considerable savings to you.
This kit will give you all the materials you need to make your own Eating Game:
5 Daily Planning Charts
4 Pages of Food Pictures
4 Ziplock Bags for Picture Storage
Hook & Loop Fastener
2 Food Picture Storage Pages
Information Booklet
We will include instructions for you re putting all materials together.
To see pictures and get more info go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eating-Game/117743845389?sk=photos
ORDER NOW at http://www.theeatinggame.ca When you order your kit please contact me to let me know that you would like me to make the $15 donation on your behalf. THANK YOU!
This is the same EATING GAME that is making a difference for many picky eaters and children with autism. It is just in a MIY (Make It Yourself) kit format that you assemble yourself, allowing us to pass on a considerable savings to you.
This kit will give you all the materials you need to make your own Eating Game:
5 Daily Planning Charts
4 Pages of Food Pictures
4 Ziplock Bags for Picture Storage
Hook & Loop Fastener
2 Food Picture Storage Pages
Information Booklet
We will include instructions for you re putting all materials together.
To see pictures and get more info go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eating-Game/117743845389?sk=photos
ORDER NOW at http://www.theeatinggame.ca When you order your kit please contact me to let me know that you would like me to make the $15 donation on your behalf. THANK YOU!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Is Your Picky Eater A Constant Challenge?
It can be an overwhelming task to provide a healthy diet for a child with a very selective, restricted diet. We know that a healthy diet is needed for overall best health, growth, learning and performance. As a parent you want your child to have every opportunity to be their personal best.
So what can you do?
• It is so important to rule out or address any medical issues (gastrointestinal or oral motor) that may be at the root of the problem with a family physician and/or paediatrician.
• Is it food allergies or intolerances? Try eliminating some foods that can be problematic: dairy, wheat, sugar, additives, gluten and then reintroduce one at a time, noting any adverse reaction. Consider allergy testing.
• Perhaps there are sensory issues at play. Record all the foods your child has eaten and those they consistently refuse. You can analyze and categorize this list: textures, tastes, temperatures, smells; to later discuss with a health care professional, occupational therapist or dietician.
• If all of the above concerns have been ruled out or properly addressed and you are still dealing with a picky eater then there is a good chance that you are dealing with a child who has learned how to be in control. Children needing to be in control in their environment (for varying and not bad reasons) learn at a very young age that they can do this with food.
Often your endless efforts to introduce new foods are unsuccessful and you are pretty much forced to give in to their plan. You, like many parents, never run out of the foods your child will eat and you probably provide these foods on demand in your effort to make sure your child is eating enough. This is understandable when you finally decide you have fought your last battle. A child has to eat and you will do what you can so they won’t be hungry.
So your child is in control of food choices. So now what do you do?
My suggestion would be to let them maintain control of their food choices but within parameters that you establish that will guide them to make healthier choices. This is your opportunity to teach your child some nutrition and independence in making choices. We know that children learn best in play situations, so try to make it fun, like a game. Use strategies and reinforcers that you know work. Make family meal planning part of your daily routine; let your child (children) take the lead.
If you are consistent and persistent with your plan you may soon be able to start making one meal for everyone and no longer have to deal with the constant challenges of a picky eater!
• Is it food allergies or intolerances? Try eliminating some foods that can be problematic: dairy, wheat, sugar, additives, gluten and then reintroduce one at a time, noting any adverse reaction. Consider allergy testing.
• Perhaps there are sensory issues at play. Record all the foods your child has eaten and those they consistently refuse. You can analyze and categorize this list: textures, tastes, temperatures, smells; to later discuss with a health care professional, occupational therapist or dietician.
• If all of the above concerns have been ruled out or properly addressed and you are still dealing with a picky eater then there is a good chance that you are dealing with a child who has learned how to be in control. Children needing to be in control in their environment (for varying and not bad reasons) learn at a very young age that they can do this with food.
Often your endless efforts to introduce new foods are unsuccessful and you are pretty much forced to give in to their plan. You, like many parents, never run out of the foods your child will eat and you probably provide these foods on demand in your effort to make sure your child is eating enough. This is understandable when you finally decide you have fought your last battle. A child has to eat and you will do what you can so they won’t be hungry.
So your child is in control of food choices. So now what do you do?
My suggestion would be to let them maintain control of their food choices but within parameters that you establish that will guide them to make healthier choices. This is your opportunity to teach your child some nutrition and independence in making choices. We know that children learn best in play situations, so try to make it fun, like a game. Use strategies and reinforcers that you know work. Make family meal planning part of your daily routine; let your child (children) take the lead.
If you are consistent and persistent with your plan you may soon be able to start making one meal for everyone and no longer have to deal with the constant challenges of a picky eater!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Why Will He Only Eat a Few Foods?
Do you have a child who wants to only eat a few select foods? Can you share in a comment below what you do that helps your child? Maybe it will help another child too.
Many kids with autism, perhaps up to 75%, have issues related to eating. Like children who do not have autism there may be physical/medical reasons or there may be sensory issues(texture, taste, color, temperature, shape) or food allergies. These concerns are real and must be dealt with so as to ensure your child has a reasonably healthy diet.
I believe there is another issue for kids with ASD, and perhaps others. Typically children on the autism spectrum don't like surprises. They are able to manage and respond more positively in a predictable environment, where they know what to expect, what's coming next. Why would this be any different when it comes to eating/meals? Aren't meals very often a surprise, until we sit down to eat and what might your child do if the meal is not what they thought it would be? And would you know what they thought it would be? You probably would know if they will only eat a limited number of foods and that is what you always present to them. What they have done is created a predictable environment for themselves so they always know what they will be eating! Aren't they smart! And when they get tired of this group of foods they switch it up a bit for another undetermined period of time.
As a parent you are very concerned when your child will only eat a few foods and you will often try new foods but.................. in the end you never run out of their desired foods and you provide it on demand often because you are concerned about how little they eat! You are supporting and reinforcing their plan!And they know it and like it.
These observations led me to develop a program that would help kids make a wider variety of food choices, their choice. They would still be in control. They would use pictures, chosen and placed on a chart for 6 meals in a day. Now they have a very predictable meal plan for themselves and everyone else to know what they will be eating. It has created a structure that can become part of their daily routine. They can do this if they are not verbal too. They don't have to be able to read, write or speak. The only skills needed are to be able to make a choice and match 4 colors. Oh, and it is equally successful with children who are verbal, read and write and for children who are not autistic. It is The Eating Game!
Many kids with autism, perhaps up to 75%, have issues related to eating. Like children who do not have autism there may be physical/medical reasons or there may be sensory issues(texture, taste, color, temperature, shape) or food allergies. These concerns are real and must be dealt with so as to ensure your child has a reasonably healthy diet.
I believe there is another issue for kids with ASD, and perhaps others. Typically children on the autism spectrum don't like surprises. They are able to manage and respond more positively in a predictable environment, where they know what to expect, what's coming next. Why would this be any different when it comes to eating/meals? Aren't meals very often a surprise, until we sit down to eat and what might your child do if the meal is not what they thought it would be? And would you know what they thought it would be? You probably would know if they will only eat a limited number of foods and that is what you always present to them. What they have done is created a predictable environment for themselves so they always know what they will be eating! Aren't they smart! And when they get tired of this group of foods they switch it up a bit for another undetermined period of time.
As a parent you are very concerned when your child will only eat a few foods and you will often try new foods but.................. in the end you never run out of their desired foods and you provide it on demand often because you are concerned about how little they eat! You are supporting and reinforcing their plan!And they know it and like it.
These observations led me to develop a program that would help kids make a wider variety of food choices, their choice. They would still be in control. They would use pictures, chosen and placed on a chart for 6 meals in a day. Now they have a very predictable meal plan for themselves and everyone else to know what they will be eating. It has created a structure that can become part of their daily routine. They can do this if they are not verbal too. They don't have to be able to read, write or speak. The only skills needed are to be able to make a choice and match 4 colors. Oh, and it is equally successful with children who are verbal, read and write and for children who are not autistic. It is The Eating Game!
Monday, August 17, 2009
It Can Be a Family Plan Too!
As many of you know I have been at The Pictou Weekend Market all summer and we will still be there until September 20th, every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm!
I have met so many nice people while at the market, I share my stories and they share theirs! We have shared stories about children & grandchildren with autism/aspergers; picky eaters and their endeavors to get all their children to eat healthy.
Early in the summer a family bought an Eating Game for their 3 girls to use together - a family plan! The girls plan together what they will eat the next day choosing from the choices mom and dad present! And they remind mom and dad when it is time to plan too!
Mom stopped by the market to tell me that it is working very well! She says the girls are all sitting down to enjoy the whole meal they planned.
Don't we all like to be in control in our lives? Children are no exception and they are constantly looking for ways to be in control right! How powerful The Eating Game can be .........Mom & Dad pick the foods to choose from, then the child(children) is in control. The real plus of course beyond the 'control' issue is that they are making healthy choices, establishing healthy eating habits, we hope for life!
I have met so many nice people while at the market, I share my stories and they share theirs! We have shared stories about children & grandchildren with autism/aspergers; picky eaters and their endeavors to get all their children to eat healthy.
Early in the summer a family bought an Eating Game for their 3 girls to use together - a family plan! The girls plan together what they will eat the next day choosing from the choices mom and dad present! And they remind mom and dad when it is time to plan too!
Mom stopped by the market to tell me that it is working very well! She says the girls are all sitting down to enjoy the whole meal they planned.
Don't we all like to be in control in our lives? Children are no exception and they are constantly looking for ways to be in control right! How powerful The Eating Game can be .........Mom & Dad pick the foods to choose from, then the child(children) is in control. The real plus of course beyond the 'control' issue is that they are making healthy choices, establishing healthy eating habits, we hope for life!
Monday, July 6, 2009
NEW ! Eater's Choice for Children
In response to requests, we have created Eater's Choice Daily Meal Planners for Children. We will now add two more packages to this line of products: Children ages 4 - 8 years and Children ages 9 - 13 years.
Many children with autism respond very positively to visual supports and as Temple Grandin has explained so well, many think in pictures! So The Eating Game is a solution that will support these children in developing much healthier eating habits.
Now, for many children with autism (and those without autism of all ages!) visual supports can be needed and valuable but can be written words rather than pictures. So now the Eater`s Choice line of products will be an excellent tool for them to improve their eating habits!
It is always helpful when developing new products to get feedback from others - Thanks to those of you who contact us with comments and or requests. We also appreciate any testimonials that come our way and of course a picture to support your words would be great too! Let`s us know how we are doing.
Many children with autism respond very positively to visual supports and as Temple Grandin has explained so well, many think in pictures! So The Eating Game is a solution that will support these children in developing much healthier eating habits.
Now, for many children with autism (and those without autism of all ages!) visual supports can be needed and valuable but can be written words rather than pictures. So now the Eater`s Choice line of products will be an excellent tool for them to improve their eating habits!
It is always helpful when developing new products to get feedback from others - Thanks to those of you who contact us with comments and or requests. We also appreciate any testimonials that come our way and of course a picture to support your words would be great too! Let`s us know how we are doing.
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