100% Healthy-ish

BEYOND WEIGHT: On Feeding Neurodiverse Kids with Deb Blakley

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What do we do when there are potentially more challenges with feeding?

In the eighth episode of Beyond Weight - a NEW series that asks the question “how can we manage health concerns without focusing on weight loss, food restriction, and body shame?” Jill is speaking with Deb Blakley, a nutritionist and mum who is passionate about kids learning to love food from birth and beyond. Deb loves working with children and families who are struggling with fussy eaters; problem feeders; children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Which is what we're talking about today!

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How Deb started working with very picky eaters
  • The biggest struggles for all families when it comes to feeding our children
  • Why teaching kids about nutrition and health is problematic
  • When a big part of feeding therapy is reminding parents that their child has the ability to learn and grow
  • Why rigidity helps neurodiverse kids feel safe and preserve energy
  • How to work with that rigidity at the child’s pace
  • The importance of a multidisciplinary approach
  • Helping kids do well away from the table, affects how well they do at the table
  • Other types of feeding therapies for autism and why they don’t often work: pressure, contextual learning, food agendas
  • Why focusing on the journey is SO important when progress is slow
  • The difference between “getting a kid to eat a certain food” and teaching parents how to feed
  • Cutting out foods for neurodiverse kids: Yay or Nay?
  • Evaluating whether your child can tolerate restriction
  • Setting realistic expectations for progress and setting kids up for success
  • Coping with nutritional worries when you have a very picky/rigid eater

    • LINKS:

    You can find Deb at Kids Dig Food.

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    100% Healthy-ishBy Dr. Jillian Murphy, ND (she/her)
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