Feeding Forward: Our Journey Through Struggles and Triumphs

When my son was 8 months old, we were right on track with the standard milestones, and we were introducing different types of solid foods.

One evening, while we were in the process of eating dinner, my son started to choke. It was, to this day, the scariest experience of our lives. From that moment on, my son refused to touch solid food. It was as if he had developed PTSD. The following months became what I referred to as my “discovery age.” As a first-time parent, unsure of what to expect, I heavily relied on what other parents were doing or telling me, as well as the “normal” standards.

Today, I want to tell you that if something doesn’t feel right, question it. Keep asking questions, keep reading, and keep going.

At one point, I stumbled upon a website where a lady charged $300.00 for an online course called Food Table. Desperate for answers, I gladly paid for it, and I would do it again. In her online course, she provided me with a list of items that could help my son learn how to eat solid foods and drink from a straw.

While the purchase and following her guide did help, I realized my son didn’t know how to chew! By this time, he was well into his second year, where he should have been eating and starting to communicate through speech. We began private speech lessons at his daycare, and then 2020 arrived, bringing a halt to all school, therapy, and social activities. It didn’t help my situation at all.

What I learned next was crucial: regardless of your financial situation, the state you live in likely has programs that can provide answers. In South Florida, we have a program called Early Steps. We applied and went through the program’s extensive review process, which took over 4 months.

It was during this time that I heard those dreaded three letters for the first time: “ASD” (Autism Spectrum Disorder). They weren’t qualified to formally diagnose, but they suggested another evaluation to see if he qualified.

Like many of you out there, I didn’t want my son to be labeled, so I declined the secondary evaluation. Instead, I asked them to help me find answers regarding his feeding delay. They connected me with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and a fantastic group of therapists.

Here, I learned how to get my son to chew and even try new foods. We started with the basics: having the food around without any pressure to eat it. The smell and texture became part of the tolerance-building process. We didn’t force him to try or eat the food, which had been our biggest mistake in the past.

Once he became comfortable with the food being around or even on his plate, we played a game of “lick the food like a lizard” with no commitment to eating. This progressed to biting the food like a dog and chewing like an alligator.

Tears of joy flowed when he ate his first veggie fry. The delay had been so severe for my son that he didn’t know how to use his tongue to move the food from side to side, something we all naturally learn without much thought. He initially helped himself chew by using his finger, but eventually, we got there. It was all a matter of perseverance and patience.

This process isn’t completed in a day or two; it takes months of commitment. For me, it will be a commitment for as long as it takes. Don’t lose hope and keep going. You’ve got this.

I would like to share with you a list of tools that I have personally used to help my son improve his motor skills, mouth mobility, and overall independence. Thanks to these tools, my son now eats on his own and has expanded his range of food choices. While I won’t claim that everything is perfect, I can definitely say that each passing day brings us closer to improvement.

I encourage you to embark on this journey, as it will undoubtedly contribute to your loved one’s ability to live a healthier life. By exploring these tools and implementing them, you’ll be making a positive impact and supporting their journey toward greater independence. Remember, progress may take time, but with dedication and perseverance, you’ll witness incredible transformations.