Thursday, July 24, 2008

Beach, Bonfires and the eating habits of my boy with autism


Yo! Mick here. The four-legged brother.

My idea of a perfect day is one spent on the beach followed up with a small bonfire and roasted meals (which is not to say I won't scarf up a dropped hot dog before it's cooked!).

Red, like a lot of kids with autism, has quirks when it comes to food. For example, his choices at this recent beach party. He ate an entire bag of Cheetos, a soda (Mum only allows one a day - at most!), 2 hot dogs without any buns, and his marsh mellows roasted over an open flame just barely a light tan with just a few black speckles. This takes an incredible skill. He eats his graham crackers separate. Red does not like chocolate except Oreos because they don't taste like chocolate or have a chocolate texture or smell. If they'd been available at the picnic he'd have had a lot of them. Red does not eat s'mores but Mum will when he accidentally burns up his marsh mellow.

A lot of people make the mistake that food quirks are about the taste. This is not true at all. It can be the smell, the texture or color or - well you get the idea, it can be almost anything. The same goes with food combinations. There may not be an obvious reason.

Good nutrition can become a concern for people with autism - at least a concern for their families. Mum has Red take supplements but by far the best supplement of all is MonaVie. It has the omega 3s, 6s and 9s that have a huge benefit to the brain function (see our story tomorrow for the impact these nutrients made for Red), amino acids, vitamins and minerals and the highest antioxidant ORAC value that is over 10 times blueberries, fiber and much more! At the rising cost of fruit, it is actually cheaper than buying all of the daily fruits and veggies (which he wouldn't eat anyway).

Getting all of the required nutrients can be a challenge but Mum has one less worry now! Check out our story, and a few others, do your own research if you want. But do check out MonaVie or better yet, try some yourself.

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