Cold Corn Dogs
A friend was recently reminiscing about a time when his son with autism would only eat cold corn dogs. Only corn dogs – straight out of the refrigerator. This obsession with cold corn dogs lasted for over two years. We talked about some of the lessons Dad learned from that experience.
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1. Anticipate compulsive eating. Many individuals with autism latch onto one or two specific foods for months or even years. This dad cautioned families to make certain only healthy foods are available in the house. He said that he regrets ever bringing corn dogs home from the grocery store. Had he known his youngster was going to refuse to eat any other foods, he never would have purchased the corn dogs.
2. Make a change. This dad commented that he and his wife now realize that allowing their youngster to eat cold corn dogs exclusively for two years probably had a negative impact on their son’s long-term health. In retrospect, they realize they needed to help their youngster make a change in his food preferences, even if the change would result in explosive behavior.
3. Remove the temptation. This youngster’s family realized they needed to break his habit of eating corn dogs by making them unavailable. The dad said he advises us to just quietly slip all unhealthy foods from the house or classroom. It is not appropriate at all to expect our friends with autism to simply ignore the ice cream in the freezer or the Oreos stashed away for teacher snacks. The tempting, unhealthy snacks or restricted foods simply must not be available.
4. Avoid fanfare. The corn dogs were simply not available one day. No fanfare. No lectures. No warning. Rather than boldly announcing that the youngster “should” start eating healthier food, the family just quietly switched gears. Sometimes we are tempted to say things like, “No more corn dogs for you, young man,” or “Starting tomorrow, you will eat healthier food.” But, as the corn dog family discovered, sometimes it is better to simply make the change without ceremony.
5. Endure the fireworks. The dad commented that he and his wife probably avoided confrontation about the corn dogs for two years because they were worried about the explosive behavior that would surely follow. The family now realizes that several days of tantrums are preferable to two years of unhealthy eating.
TIP FOR THE DAY. Cold corn dogs may not appeal to most people, but this youngster became obsessed with that rather unappetizing and unhealthy food. Thanks to the family for sharing lessons learned based on their experience with cold corn dogs.
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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