I cannot be at this event but have a question. I will also try to ask the question through the portal but place it here so it is seen here too. What suggestions do you have for a 6 year old who is picky with texture when it comes to eating (so we do a lot of offering small pieces of food and mixing with familiar and well-accepted foods like oatmeal or rice), especially related to improving chewing, and also increasing self-feeding. He likes to be fed or take turns with the spoon. Would love to hear your suggestions and add them to what we’re trying!
Answer:
Great question! First, if he is not currently receiving speech and/or occupational therapy (OT) I would recommend that because they also specialize in feeding selectivity, improving chewing, etc. Also, here is a book that I recommend to all of my client's with food selectivity, it is called "Broccoli Boot Camp" by Keith Williams & Laura Seiverling. They are two BCBAs that are feeding specialists. There are a lot of great interventions in there that you will find helpful!
Let's talk about self-feeding first. No more feeding him! I am fine with taking turns for now, BUT what I want you to do is slowly increasing throughout each meal how many bits he takes until it is your turn. For example, at first he takes a bite then you feed a bite then he takes a bite, etc. But after a few minutes he takes two bites and then you give a bite then he takes two bites then you give a bite, etc. Every few bites you can increase it to he takes more more bite (ex. take one more bite then mommy's turn!) until he is at 3, 4, 5, in a row. Do that every meal until he is eating the entire meal by himself! You can also add reinforcement to the pot and give him a reinforcer when he feeds himself, but nothing when you feed him. It can be a small preferred edible (ex. M&M) or a minute with a toy.
I think what you're doing for texture is great (adding small pieces into familiar food). If you want to try a small bite of the new food by itself I would start with the bite being the size of the pea and only have one bite on the plate and then he gets something very preferred for taking the bite (ex. edible, 2-minutes on the iPad, etc.). You then slowly increase the amount of bites (ex. 2, 3, 4, etc. on plate) and size of bites (ex. pea size then slowly increase size) before the reinforcement.
Try both of these and then check in with us in a week or two and let us know how it is going! Good luck!
Great question! First, if he is not currently receiving speech and/or occupational therapy (OT) I would recommend that because they also specialize in feeding selectivity, improving chewing, etc. Also, here is a book that I recommend to all of my client’s with food selectivity, it is called “Broccoli Boot Camp” by Keith Williams & Laura Seiverling. They are two BCBAs that are feeding specialists. There are a lot of great interventions in there that you will find helpful!
Let’s talk about self-feeding first. No more feeding him! I am fine with taking turns for now, BUT what I want you to do is slowly increasing throughout each meal how many bits he takes until it is your turn. For example, at first he takes a bite then you feed a bite then he takes a bite, etc. But after a few minutes he takes two bites and then you give a bite then he takes two bites then you give a bite, etc. Every few bites you can increase it to he takes more more bite (ex. take one more bite then mommy’s turn!) until he is at 3, 4, 5, in a row. Do that every meal until he is eating the entire meal by himself! You can also add reinforcement to the pot and give him a reinforcer when he feeds himself, but nothing when you feed him. It can be a small preferred edible (ex. M&M) or a minute with a toy.
I think what you’re doing for texture is great (adding small pieces into familiar food). If you want to try a small bite of the new food by itself I would start with the bite being the size of the pea and only have one bite on the plate and then he gets something very preferred for taking the bite (ex. edible, 2-minutes on the iPad, etc.). You then slowly increase the amount of bites (ex. 2, 3, 4, etc. on plate) and size of bites (ex. pea size then slowly increase size) before the reinforcement.
Try both of these and then check in with us in a week or two and let us know how it is going! Good luck!
Thank you so much. Will do!