2008, December 19, Friday
Today, I felt very encouraged by some comments that I received on my blog.
As for my day, I started off by refraining Ivan from having his "peanut butter and bread". I decided that there were a few factors to his misbehavior.
1. the peanut butter was making him hyperactive
2. the need to seek attention
3. that he was of his herbal medicine
So to test these out, I started by removing the peanut butter totally and started on the herbal medicine again. I know that there should only be one change while the others stayed constant. However, we had seen the effects of the herbal medicine before, actually.
The day started off with no peanut butter, it was replaced by slices of nutella bread. As for his rice intake, now I am taking the measurement of the Chinese rice bowl to ensure that they get the right amount of carbohydrates. Lately, he eats very little rice and then asks for something sweet after that like chocolate chip cookies or nutella bread.
So today, I served him his lunch on a separate plate from mine. His vegetables all cut up and mixed well with the rice. Served it with a plastic fork and spoon (bugs bunny merchandise). He started off eating well, until he spotted some cabbage. I then fed him occasionally allowing him to still feed himself. About one quarter more to go, he decided that he had his fill. So, I coaxed him with a reward of some ice cream after that. Fortunately, I had stacked up my freezer with a variety of ice cream flavours. He forced himself and finished his bowl of rice.
I allowed him to choose which flavour he wanted. It was Lava Brownie. I scooped using a teaspoon (instead of the ice cream scoop) to show him that there were many scoops. He was very happy with his reward. I was pleased with the outcome, but that was just the morning half of the day.
Later in the day, the dad had some errands to run at Sun Plaza, so we all went. Ahhh... another hassle. For the past month or so, each time we went there, Ivan had to buy his peanut butter waffle, from the cake shop there. It would be a noisy episode if we had refused. (trust me, been down that road a couple of times) Even yesterday, when we went down to to Sun Plaza to Coffee Bean he had to still have the peanut butter waffle. It was becoming a compulsion more than a snack.
So, while daddy ran his errands, I took the boys down to the basement level where the cake shops were. I told Ivan in a calm voice, "Which would you prefer, cheese or chocolate?" His answer was peanut butter waffle as he pointed to the shop at the end. I repeated myself again pointing at the small, round pancakes at the Mr. Bean stall in front of us. He looked at me for a second or two and answered, "Chocolate." I bought one each for the boys and they had it there while waiting for daddy.
Even though I kind of stuffed the pancake at his face, not giving him a chance at the waffle at all, Ivan didn't seem to have any problems with it. He actually seemed quite happy with his chocolate pancake. Success! No peanut butter today equals not hyper today. He was his normal active self today, without the continuous rebellion. Hmmm.... could the peanuts have anything to do with the rebellion, something for me to look into, The Peanut Butter Syndrome.
I managed to get my hands on a cookbook in the library for children with ASD and ADHD. It may have the answer that I am looking for. Personally, I would never place my child on any particular diet recommended for ASD kids. The reason being, some things can only be done for a while. Life throws alot of curves and crossroads, we have to be flexible. How would you possible go on a holiday or leave him with a babysitter if you have so many restrictions in his diet. Also, I would feel that its cruel if we ate foods that Ivan couldn't eat, it's just not right. So personally, I would take what I can use and modify it, to what best suits me.
At one point of time we tried the organic foods, it was great and all but very costly and Ivan didn't react very much to it either. (Not all children would react the same to the special diets, my didn't show any improvement)
My next move is to find out if he is doing all this just to gain attention. Until I experiment some more, I am signing off.
As for my day, I started off by refraining Ivan from having his "peanut butter and bread". I decided that there were a few factors to his misbehavior.
1. the peanut butter was making him hyperactive
2. the need to seek attention
3. that he was of his herbal medicine
So to test these out, I started by removing the peanut butter totally and started on the herbal medicine again. I know that there should only be one change while the others stayed constant. However, we had seen the effects of the herbal medicine before, actually.
The day started off with no peanut butter, it was replaced by slices of nutella bread. As for his rice intake, now I am taking the measurement of the Chinese rice bowl to ensure that they get the right amount of carbohydrates. Lately, he eats very little rice and then asks for something sweet after that like chocolate chip cookies or nutella bread.
So today, I served him his lunch on a separate plate from mine. His vegetables all cut up and mixed well with the rice. Served it with a plastic fork and spoon (bugs bunny merchandise). He started off eating well, until he spotted some cabbage. I then fed him occasionally allowing him to still feed himself. About one quarter more to go, he decided that he had his fill. So, I coaxed him with a reward of some ice cream after that. Fortunately, I had stacked up my freezer with a variety of ice cream flavours. He forced himself and finished his bowl of rice.
I allowed him to choose which flavour he wanted. It was Lava Brownie. I scooped using a teaspoon (instead of the ice cream scoop) to show him that there were many scoops. He was very happy with his reward. I was pleased with the outcome, but that was just the morning half of the day.
Later in the day, the dad had some errands to run at Sun Plaza, so we all went. Ahhh... another hassle. For the past month or so, each time we went there, Ivan had to buy his peanut butter waffle, from the cake shop there. It would be a noisy episode if we had refused. (trust me, been down that road a couple of times) Even yesterday, when we went down to to Sun Plaza to Coffee Bean he had to still have the peanut butter waffle. It was becoming a compulsion more than a snack.
So, while daddy ran his errands, I took the boys down to the basement level where the cake shops were. I told Ivan in a calm voice, "Which would you prefer, cheese or chocolate?" His answer was peanut butter waffle as he pointed to the shop at the end. I repeated myself again pointing at the small, round pancakes at the Mr. Bean stall in front of us. He looked at me for a second or two and answered, "Chocolate." I bought one each for the boys and they had it there while waiting for daddy.
Even though I kind of stuffed the pancake at his face, not giving him a chance at the waffle at all, Ivan didn't seem to have any problems with it. He actually seemed quite happy with his chocolate pancake. Success! No peanut butter today equals not hyper today. He was his normal active self today, without the continuous rebellion. Hmmm.... could the peanuts have anything to do with the rebellion, something for me to look into, The Peanut Butter Syndrome.
I managed to get my hands on a cookbook in the library for children with ASD and ADHD. It may have the answer that I am looking for. Personally, I would never place my child on any particular diet recommended for ASD kids. The reason being, some things can only be done for a while. Life throws alot of curves and crossroads, we have to be flexible. How would you possible go on a holiday or leave him with a babysitter if you have so many restrictions in his diet. Also, I would feel that its cruel if we ate foods that Ivan couldn't eat, it's just not right. So personally, I would take what I can use and modify it, to what best suits me.
At one point of time we tried the organic foods, it was great and all but very costly and Ivan didn't react very much to it either. (Not all children would react the same to the special diets, my didn't show any improvement)
My next move is to find out if he is doing all this just to gain attention. Until I experiment some more, I am signing off.
-bittersweetz-
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