Sensory and Eating?

my son (turning 3 in december) has SPD and ASD with speech delay.

He ONLY eats:-

French toast sticks, cut in squares
Cheese on toast, cut in squares
Cheese, cut in squares
Fruit Loops
Rice Crispies
Wheat Puffs
Raisins
Yogurt
Baby fruit puree

He point blank refuses new foods. Fruit of any kind, chopped or decorated, is a no no! Same with Vegetables and meat.. He might eat it if it is sneaked in between the layers of cheese on his toast. But if he sees it, its out. Will not even try it. He will get up and leave.

So, I have learned to cheat, I put vegetable puree, fruit puree and greek yogurt, probiotic kefir, some baby bananas, and vitamin drops - sometimes i throw in an egg - in a milkshake for him.. he does not know he is getting vegetables... shhhh! (Or I put fresh fruit in a blender, add some non fat greek yogurt, and a broccoli head and blend it untill it is a smoothie, make sure I strain it propperly, because if there are any lumps in it, he will not drink it)

Its all about texture for him. Nothing with lumps, nothing that looks new... it all has to be familiar shapes and color (yellow). Raisins and yogurt is the ONLY exception.

He wants HIS sippy cup, all the time. The one he is used to. Will NOT drink from any other. Nor just from a glass, with no spout.

Will NOT use his own utensils, I need to feed him his yogurt. (He will eat his finger foods though)

Very OCD about his food! It is behavioral as well as Sensory issues with him. We are working with an OT now to see if we can get him to accept a straw, then we will move on to a straw cup, and hopefully those food pouches, so he can eat more healthy food.

He is so not motivated by food, but when he eats, he is the most OCD person I have ever met.

Our OT suggested we serve him single servings at a time, or put them in 3 different containers, and let HIM choose what he wants. If food gets put all together on one plate, #1- It could be overwhelming to see so much food on a plate, and #2 - if certain foods touch, it could mean that he sees the plate as being contaminated.. so by separating the foods altogether gives him more control over what he eats and when, and keeps the food from touching.

My grandson stuff his mouth to capacity and chews just enough to be able to swallow it. The food goes down in small chunks.

He also doesn't like the texture of some foods. Mashed potatoes is one.

texture, heat/cold, bite size, mushiness or crispness, what the food looks like... I have sensory issues and if a piece of food has a piece of cheese or something hanging unsightly off the fork in any sort of unbalanced way, or the bite mark looks funny or whatever, I cannot eat it.

Well, Momma L. just answered a question I have about my own sensory daughter! She is VERY picky and cares about how things look. She willl hardly eat any fruit because she can't stand things like the hairs on raspberries and the look of the weeds (stems) on strawberries. She will occasionally eat a raspberry but it has to be "hard" she says and she has this certain way she tests it and if it mushy (according to her) she won't eat. I've given her many a perfect raspberry that has been turned down as mushy. She will only drink warm milk--she says it feels good on her tongue. If it is too hot or too cold--it's a no go though she will drink other hot and cold beverages. She likes lemon on everything and even likes the taste of vinegar but heaven forbid she eat a blueberry. I could go on and on. :)

Oh, what haven't we dealt with? She will try new foods, but is very specific about what she'll try and she has a method. You know how babies will try new things by sticking out their tongues and licking with the tip? She's almost 9 years old and she still does that. If it passes the lick test, she takes a teeny tiny bite. She may or may not spit that out. If it stays in her mouth she tests it on her tongue like she's a scientist in a lab. If she gives it the okay, she'll ask for more. She may or may not eat it, or she may only have a couple of tastes. She may or may not eat it in the future.

She prefers specific textures and flavors. She tends to stick with what she already likes. At odd times, she'll stray from the bland and boring to sensory-seeking bold and spicy or ice cold. She's very, very self-restricting. She also has some dietary restrictions due to lactose intolerance (we make substitutions) and food sensitivities (food dyes, high fructose corn syrup, too much sugar). I cook a lot of things homemade to accommodate her. I will make her pretty much whatever she asks for, especially if she asks to try a new veggie or fruit.

I try to encourage her by asking her to help me cook or having her suggest "recipes." I've had a little success with that but lately she's just not very interested in eating. She had a growth spurt and gained a little weight, but she's actually lost nearly 3 lbs and is losing more. I try to give her Gummi Vites daily or as often as she'll take them (a couple of times a week).

These would be her "usually-to-always" reliable foods:
yogurt
chocolate peanut butter
Bimbo honey wheat bread
strawberries
blueberries
Triscuits
tomato soup
pasta (depends on the sauce and shape)
pizza
doughnuts
muffins
pancakes
pumpkin pie
my MIL's chicken cutlets (pretty much the only meat she'll willingly eat)