eating/chewing probs

[Guest guest]

Hi,

This is the first time I post so bear with me.

I have been working as an ABA therapist for a little over a year, I

work with three families and am happy to say that one of the girls I

work with is on her way to 'recovery'...

But that's not what I want to talk about...

I just recently started with a new family, they have a 3,5 year old

boy who is dyspraxic and has autism. One of his main problems at the

moment is that he hates chewing any food with some texture/solidity.

He doesn't mind yogurt, juice etc. because he doesn't have to chew.

The program has a big part of oral motor and desensitizing his

gums/teeth/lips. We work on that with him a lot(and reinforce that!!).

Just recently the parents have decided (on advice of people who I

question their reliability, but I don't know them) to forcibly put

foods with textures (cheese, devon,egg)in his mouth. (Against the

advice of the program supervisor and before I started). He struggles

and tries really hard to get away, but dad holds him down and mum

shoves the food in his mouth saying chew chew... Obviously he doesn't

chew but swallows it straight away, while screaming his head off...

The worst part of it is they don't (conveniently forget? no idea

what ABA is about??) reinforce him...

We (supervisor and me) have tried to talk to them but the parents

unfortunately are unable to follow concrete directions and be

consistent with him...

I find this really hard to deal with since, he is very non compliant

with me after breakfast, lunch etc. And who can blame him really...

Does any of you have any ideas of what to do apart from talking to

the parents, because we are still trying...

Apparently they have tried a lot of things, with no avail...

oh, and he is having an assessment if he has a tongtie which can be

done something about, which I believe he does.....

Di