May 26, 2011
During my years working with children who have autism, I had to learn a tremendous amount of information on sensory processing. I suppose that is why I assumed sensory issues were the reason Jagger wouldn’t eat new foods…I thought the poor boy had a sensitivity when it came to oral sensory processing. So, I did what any good occupational therapist would do. I never forced him to eat foods that he didn’t like, I tried to decrease his sensitivity by brushing his lips, tongue and cheeks with the toothbrush (with more pressure than with plain old toothbrushing because deep pressure calms the nervous system)…we also played little games at the dinner table to help build his tolerance to certain foods at his mouth. First phase was “Jagger, just touch the broccoli with your finger”, then it was “Jagger, just give the broccoli a kiss”, then “Jagger, just lick the broccoli”…we never got past licking the broccoli…UNTIL…mommy and daddy figured out that little Jagger was smarter than the both of us!! He had been manipulating us all these years (well, technically months since the kid is only 2 and hasn’t really been eating for years). The day we had dinner at Culver’s, Jagger wouldn’t eat his chicken tender. This was just annoying to us because he’ll eat chicken nuggets and fish sticks…and for heaven’s sake, Jagger…the chicken tender was breaded so what do you care? Well, I had to put my foot down. Absolutely no dessert until that chicken tender was chewed up and digesting in his stomach!! Oh, but little Jagger’s Polish stubbornness emerged and he turned his little body away from the table, averted his eye contact and I’m sure if he knew how to fold his arms across his chest, he would have done so! That continued until the custard hit the table. I made sure to exaggerate how delicious (or “wishous” as Jagger would say) the custard was. Next thing we knew, the chicken tender had disappeared from the plate…and there it was in his dimpled little fingers, actually making it past the licking phase and into the biting, chewing and swallowing phase. It was funny how the eye contact hadn’t resumed, almost as if he was trying to tell us he was still in control. But, that chicken tender was gone in a flash and Jagger earned his custard (ahh, the power of that custard!). That was the day I realized that my sweet, baby Jagger had been playing me. Either that or I am a miracle-working occupational therapist!.
Well, I used the momentum of trading an empty dinner plate for dessert, and today Jagger ate salmon, mashed potatoes and broccoli!! You may have won the battles Jagger, but mommy won the war!!
In other news…
Daddy is finally getting over his strep throat and ear infection and was able to snuggle with our little angel! Hooray for antibiotics!