It's been a challenging week here at Casa Momartfully, lots of challenges, stress... and no time to work through anything. Endless slogging through challenges and just plain old tiredness.
Just as I was ready to throw in the proverbial towel...VICTORY!!
St. Patrick's Day was a triumphant victory in our house; my Aspie child ate food that was dyed green.
That's not a big deal for most moms, I know, most households enjoy plenty of shenanigans on St. Patricks Day that would probably throw my child into fits.
For a kid who is on the Autism spectrum, however, eating altered food is a gigantic development. My child is breaking out and trying new things.
This is the first year that any sort of messing around with food - like dying milk green - has been accepted without a battle.
Many kids with Asperger Syndrome are known to have oral issues;
Because of their sensitivity to smell, temperature, taste and texture, children with Asperger Syndrome are often "picky" eaters. Some develop fetishes such as only eating beige-colored foods or foods with creamy textures. They often like very sour or very spicy tastes. Some develop chewing fetishes and as a result, they constantly suck on pens, pencils or times of clothing.
That quote above reads like a checklist for my Aspie - smell issues (is this milk FRESH fresh?), temperature (must be very cold or very hot), texture (pudding and cake are EVIL), chewing fetishes (gnaws coat collars, necklines, sleeves, blankets... small animals that don't run away quickly enough... I'm kidding).
Today, though, my child drank green milk and ate green cookies.
Tomorrow my child might revert back - and hate a food he loves today (a common occurrence here, and it drives "M" to distraction sometimes) or some new preference might come live with us a while as we all work through the process of accepting of something new.
But it's a step forward and a little teeeeeeny bit of breathing space.
And I'll take it.
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