Autism

Blogs on Autism

Autism, Feeding Therapy, Medical Concerns

Why Some Kids With ASD Won’t Eat And How to Get Help

by Rebecca Connick, MOT, LOTR “Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP describes using the 3E’s in the treatment of children with feeding deficits: Expose, Explore, and Expand. Her recently published book Adventures in...

Autism, Feeding Therapy, Parenting a Picky Eater

5 Tips to Make the Kitchen Connection for Kids with Autism

By Melanie Potock As a speech-language pathologist specializing in pediatric feeding treatment, I work mostly with kids, food and creating happier mealtimes for families. I often find the kitchen is...

Autism, Feeding Therapy, Parenting a Picky Eater

The Cooking Connection

By Melanie Potock I once had a client with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), age 10, who had a history of picky eating and feeding difficulties. He also had an affinity...

Autism, Parenting a Picky Eater

Understanding Autism: Restaurant Meltdowns

By Melanie Potock I sat in a popular restaurant chain and watched an 8 year old boy have a major meltdown at his table. His mother cringed as lunch time...

Autism

Health experts: Longmont case an extreme example of dietary deprivation

By Amelia Arvesen A boy consumes the highest amount of calories in his life as a teenager, which Boulder County dietitians consider a crucial time for him to grow into...

Autism

Autism and the School Cafeteria: Four Tips to Help Kids Eat

By Melanie Potock The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all students get at least 20 minutes to eat lunch, but many public elementary schools give kids just 20 minutes...

Autism

Top 10 Lessons I Learned from Loving Kids with Autism

By Melanie Potock If you’ve had the good fortune of loving kids with autism, you’ve probably encountered a few unexpected lessons in life. In honor of National Autism Awareness Month...

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Nov 19

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🤍Want to prevent picky eating in your toddler and preschooler?

🤍🤍🤍Here are 3 resources to guide you. But first, let’s rephrase this. Preventing picky eating IS POSSIBLE if a child doesn’t have medical, motor, sensory or other “feeding” issues that are getting in the way of becoming a picky eater.

So…try these three strategies:

1.✨Invest in a really good book to guide you – COMMENT #BOOKS for all my books. The award-winning Raising a Healthy Happy Eater, written with pediatrician Dr. Yum, is a step-by-step guide to raising an adventurous eater!
2.✨Offer about a tablespoon of new food(s) at each meal. Exposure is everything! One tablespoon isn’t a waste if they don’t eat it, because they SAW IT. That’s the first step. (More in the book above.)
3.✨GET HELP EARLY. Please don’t “wait and see” if your kid’s going to grow out of it. One out of four typically developing kids will develop a feeding disorder, where it’s more than picky. Ask your pediatrician for a referral for feeding therapy is you have any concerns, at all.

🤍✨🤍Bonus Tip:
Mark my page as a FAVORITE please, so you get daily tips. I’m so grateful that you’re following me. Thank you!
😘Melanie
#melaniepotock #pickytoddler #responsivefeeding #asha204 #slpfeeding ...

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Nov 17

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🥛Milk can provide essential nutrients for kids, but when kids just guzzle & go, it doesn’t leave opportunities to explore new foods & become an adventurous eater. And, after baby’s first birthday, many pediatricians recommend switching from formula to whole milk, or possibly introducing whole milk even if breastfeeding.

Psst…You’re going to want to save this post for later…

🥛But…Milk can cause a sudden decrease in appetite & desire for new foods, because…It’s filling. I challenge you to drink a mere 8 ounces of milk in the span of a few minutes. That’s less volume than a typical tall latte & your stomach has a greater capacity for more. Yet, you’ll feel pretty
full, almost immediately.

🥛Same for kids – they go from hungry to satisfied in a matter of minutes.

💩Milk can be constipating if kids are drinking a lot. Constipation shuts down appetite, especially for new foods. Too much milk can also impact iron absorption.

🤔Wonder what to do? If your child can self-regulate milk & sips on it while eating the other food, then no worries! But if they are too dependent on milk to fill little bellies, then serve milk in a small straw cup with a thin straw, so it’s not as easy to guzzle. When it’s gone, there’s still water that can
be refilled. Parent mindfully & compassionately: “You do love milk! We will have some more with
dinner.”

🍪What about snacks? Limiting milk to mealtimes helps kids focus on trying a variety of snacks. But, if you need a quick boost of energy, a small carton of milk with a straw is a terrific snack on the go.

✨The AAP recommends just 16 to 20 oz of milk for kids ages 2 to 5. Kids ages 1 to 2 only need 16 oz (24 max). Other dairy foods or dairy substitutes can be fine alternatives.

✨BONUS fact (AAP)Children ages 12-24 months are advised to drink whole milk and children 2 and older nonfat (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk”
🥰Melanie
#melaniepotock

❤️This is educational content only - not medical advice. ...

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Nov 15

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🥐If your picky eater eats NOTHING but dinner rolls at the holiday family dinner…

😤And ANYONE protests, fusses, or is downright mean to you about it…

🥰Give them my Instagram. Tell them to DM me. I’ve got your back.

❤️Seriously, try to remember…family holiday mealtimes are about FAMILY more than the food.

🍗Feed your kiddo ahead of time if you’d like.

🍗Bring them their own food & let the hosts know. Hold your ground and explain that you’d like to focus on the HOST and not how much your kid eats.

🍗Or just don’t explain at all. You don’t have to explain.

🤷🏼‍♀️You just need to show up, be pleasant, and help with the dishes. There. You’re the perfect holiday dinner guest. DONE.

❤️Drop a heart if you agree, and send this to video to a friend who needs a little extra love today.
🥰Melanie
#melaniepotock #pickyeater #slpfeeding #asha2024 #ARFID #ARFIDrecovery #feedinglittles #feedingtherapy #extremepickyeating ...

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