Is this going to be my child? Picky Eater Adults

[toby]

I know my son does have anxiety over food "What if I don't like it?!" he says with fear and panic in his voice. I have told him it's okay, I won't make him eat another bite, and he can spit it out in his napkin or the trash can. But that isn't enough for him. It still worries him so much he won't let a bite near his mouth.

When my DS is willing to try a new food (very rarely), I tell him that he can lick it or touch it with his tongue first. This is less intimidating for him than putting the whole thing in his mouth.

This thread has made me feel a lot better about my super taster and...it IS exhausting!

ETA: Do any of you have kids who don't eat veggies OR fruit? This is what worries me the most-- I am somewhat successful at getting some veggies/fruits into him in muffins, but he doesn't get as many of these nutrients as he needs. Also, these are generally masked with chocolate chips (kind of ridiculous!) Not liking fruit means that he won't take a vitamin and if he needs meds, it is a major struggle. He is the only child that I know that doesn't like popsicles, lollipops and most candy because of the fruit taste.

[MichelleRC]

I know my son does have anxiety over food "What if I don't like it?!" he says with fear and panic in his voice. I have told him it's okay, I won't make him eat another bite, and he can spit it out in his napkin or the trash can. But that isn't enough for him. It still worries him so much he won't let a bite near his mouth.

And he is most definitely a super taster. He will only eat certain brands of food, and they have to be cooked exactly a certain way, or he will gag on them. I can't try a bait and switch with a different brand, no way.

I'm still cooking 2 separate meals here at home, and I am just so exhausted with it. But I don't think there's much I can do about it.

I just found this thread, and wow. This is DS1 to a tee. He does have GAD. His diet is so limited, he is underweight and I have to hide a liquid multivitamin in soda a few times a week just to make sure he has some nutrients in him. (Counterproductive probably, but there ya go.) That has been the only thing I have successfully been able to hide in another food or drink too, btw.
There were about 4 days last week when he would not eat his 1/2 of toasted cheese sandwich (one of 2 or 3 dinner foods for him) because the bread "had a hole in it". He is also very sensitive to the temperature of his food, and will stop eating when it gets to room temp or cold.

I have tried having him smelling or licking new foods, but he does not go for it.
Will keep checking back to see if anyone else has advice. Thanks!!

[AshleyAnn]

Since other people have pulled up this old thread I'm going to celebrate my successes at trying new foods since my last post. I made a decision that it was time to expand my palate and try new foods shortly after this thread was created. I've tried lots of things and found a few I liked, a few I'd eat again but didn't find all that good, but nothing I would call disgusting or refuse to eat again. Its still slow and sometimes I do have to really push my self over the hump of my mental block but I've made a lot of progress in the past 5 weeks compared to the last 5 years. I'm still every bit as wierd about food as I was but progress is progress.

Advice for the moms - keep offering them the foods and allow a safe out. If its saucy or has a topping on it consider suggesting they stick thier finger in it and lick it or put just a small flake on thier tounge so they can judge want its going to be like before they get a whole bite. Let them touch it with thier fingers and get used to the texture before it goes in thier mouth.

[blondflava]

Thank you for sharing your story, I keep my fingers crossed for your success at tasting new foods and overcoming the challenges. I used to be very picky as a kid (I'd willingly eat only bread with nutella), no soups, no dinners, not even desserts. My mom would spoonfeed me till the age of 5-6? I think. I was also very skinny.
My DD has had issues with eating since being born, had allergies and reflux. It's now controlled by medicines but we have issues (she gags a lot, eats only mashed baby food mostly), she's been very small since birth, too (a preemie on top of it). I really hope we'll get her on the path of eating, as close to normal as possible).