7yr old eating baby formula powder ... help!

November 22, 2008

My 7 yr old daughter with Autism has suddenly become fascinated with eating my baby daughter's lactose-free formula that is in powder form and it is driving me a little nuts, since that stuff is like $15 for a small canister. No matter where I put it, she finds it and tries to eat it by the scoop full ... or at least gets it on her fingers and licks it off. I am a big believer that children will seek out what they need nutritionally when their body tells them they need something. Now, I have tried giving her milk (the first obvious thing) but she will not drink it for me ... even though she has been known to drink it at school from time to time. Now, she isn't a big dairy kid - the only real dairy she takes in is when she eats grilled cheeses sandwiches or what little milk is in kraft mac n cheese. That is all that I can think of that has milk in it. What could she possibly be seeking out?

The other odd thing is that she has been trying to play with kool-aid powder and eat it ... or just play with it. The baby formula powder is strictly eating though ... she won't just play with it.Any help or ideas would be great! We are not on any supplements or doing the GFCF diet right now, in case anyone is wondering about that or if you think that might make a difference.

-- ~ ~proud US Army wifemommy to Caitey, 11, ADHDmommy to Sierra, 7, autism, nonverbal, sensory intergration disordermommy to Lindsey Breeana, born Feb 21 7lbs 14oz, 20.5 inches

November 23, 2008

Before reading the whole post my first reaction was the craving of

gluten or casein from the formula. Some of us who have our children on

the GFCF diet see the desire to eat something they are not supposed to

have more of an addiction rather than " they crave what their body

needs " . Their brain makes them think they need it which causes them

to want it more and more, like a drug addict craves a drug. In my own

personal case it's this way with caffeine and sugar. My boys don't

drink cool aid so I'm not sure what is in it that she might be craving

unless it's just a sensory thing for her. My son loves to play with

anything that's like sand. Are you considering the diet? If so you

will probably see this problem increase until the gluten and casein

are out of her system. You might need to put the formula under lock

and key.

Best of luck,

Kamie

>

> My 7 yr old daughter with Autism has suddenly become fascinated with

eating

> my baby daughter's lactose-free formula that is in powder form and it is

> driving me a little nuts, since that stuff is like $15 for a small

> canister. No matter where I put it, she finds it and tries to eat

it by the

> scoop full ... or at least gets it on her fingers and licks it off.

I am a

> big believer that children will seek out what they need

nutritionally when

> their body tells them they need something. Now, I have tried giving her

> milk (the first obvious thing) but she will not drink it for me ... even

> though she has been known to drink it at school from time to time.

Now, she

> isn't a big dairy kid - the only real dairy she takes in is when she

eats

> grilled cheeses sandwiches or what little milk is in kraft mac n cheese.

> That is all that I can think of that has milk in it. What could she

> possibly be seeking out?

>

> The other odd thing is that she has been trying to play with

kool-aid powder

> and eat it ... or just play with it. The baby formula powder is

strictly

> eating though ... she won't just play with it.

>

> Any help or ideas would be great! We are not on any supplements or

doing

> the GFCF diet right now, in case anyone is wondering about that or

if you

> think that might make a difference.

>

> --

> ~ ~

>

> proud US Army wife

> mommy to Caitey, 11, ADHD

> mommy to Sierra, 7, autism, nonverbal, sensory intergration disorder

> mommy to Lindsey Breeana, born Feb 21 7lbs 14oz, 20.5 inches

>

November 23, 2008

We did a trial of the diet a few years ago and just didn't see any results. I am considering it again, but with us moving and everything the next few weeks and months, I might have to put it off. I thought about the casien gluten possibility, but when I looked at the labeling yesterday, I didn't see anything screaming out anything like that. I have to wonder if it isn't a sensory thing like you and some others have said because she loved playing in the sand during the summer ... and she always tried to eat it too. She doesn't drink koolaid ever, but she was having fun using her new cutting skills to open the packets and sprinkle it everywhere in the house.

So maybe it is just a sensory thing ... except for the eating thing. I don't understand that as she doesn't like anything else that is that texture. I mean, she won't even eat pudding or jello or anything that is an odd texture.

Who knows .... lol!-- ~ ~proud US Army wifemommy to Caitey, 11, ADHDmommy to Sierra, 7, autism, nonverbal, sensory intergration disordermommy to Lindsey Breeana, born Feb 21 7lbs 14oz, 20.5 inches