3 and one half year old lives on Pediasure and sensory processing disorder?

[grandmagwen]

My 3 1/2 year old grandaughter stopped eating over a year ago. She lives on Pediasure. I think she may have sensory processing disorder as she has never liked being held (except when being rocked to soothe her separation anxiety when her Mom leaves her with me or when sick). She has never chewed solid food when she used to eat it and choked often when eating. She has frequent temper tantrums for no apparent reason. She learned her alphabet, colors and could count up to twenty by the time she was 2 but now she seems to have forgotten all of these and speaks in mostly one or two word sentances.

When in a group, she runs seemingly aimlessly around when all the other children are sitting on their mother's laps or engaged in activities.

Any ideas?

[anxiousmomtobe?]

She should be thorougly screened.  I can't believe no one has pushed the panic button, she hasn't eaten in a year?  What does her ped say?

[lauraandbill2001]

If you are inquiring on the sensory processing order, she should probably be evaluated through therapeutic services. As far as the pediasure diet goes, I would be concerned about nutrition as well.  You could look into a feeding clinic.  I work with a feeding clinic in Delaware and know that this is definitely something they would handle.  I am not clinical so I honestly can't give any information.  But, I  can tell you what I would do.  It really surprises me that the PCP may not have said anything though.

[5preg2B]

I have had many children with autism and would have her tested for it.  they have many sensory issues including having different textures in their mouth. good luck..

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Your kids have autism? Or do you work with autistic kids.

By the way, I have my us tomorrow afternoon.  I am nervous.

[RockRose]

Gwen - out of your list of concerns about your granddaughter,  I think the most worrisome is her loss of skills over time.

I agree she sounds like she has Sensory Integration Disorder - coordinating chewing and swallowing can be so hard for them that they kind of give up and go to liquids.  I know a family who have three kids with varying degrees of SID,  and they drink an astonishing amount of apple juice - easy way to get the calories in.

And I agree that she sounds like she has some symptoms of autism,  too.  There are a lot of parents who blame vaccinations on making their children autistic - and the science pretty much disagrees with that,  but their experience is like yours.   They have a child who seemed mildly affected,  and then around the age of 2 lost a lot of skills and seems to have more symptoms of autism than before.

Best wishes.  The earlier you act,  the more help she can get.

[mum2beagain]

My son has sensory integration disorder, we have problem's getting him to chew food but a feeding specialist gave us lots of ideas and he now will eat a variety of foods such as fruit, sandwiches, muffins, cereal etc(he is nearly 3 now), for us he has to eat one type of texture at a time so he will chew and not gag. He still has trouble with mixed textures and is very fussy with meat and vegetables so we still have to finely chop foods like that. We do use pediasure occasionally if he has a really bad day; he currently has a cough and cold which really puts him off eating anything solid so we give him mashed food, yoghurt and pediasure at times like this but not every day. Your grandaughter should be evaluated; it could just be an eating problem and not sensory integration dissorder as this usually comes with a whole range of other sensory problems with noise, texture, motion etc. Either way I think you need to find a way to persuade your daughter to take your grandaughter to the pediatrician to discuss her feeding issues. Best of luck.

[5preg2B]

No my kids done't but I had two daycare children that both had aspergers which is a mild form of autism and had sensory problems..  its often overlooked and worth looking into.  

good luck on your ultrasound and let me know hoe it goes.  I'll pray for you..

[grandmagwen]

I went to her therapy with her Mom and other grandma this afternoon. She is being evaluated for Sensory Processing Disorder (which I was told today, falls under the autism umbrella). The two hours she was there, she had communication therapy for one hour and then eating therapy. The two women who worked with her were able to elicit great responses. I saw her count and name colors for the first time in a year! I learned some things I can use next time I have her. Thank you all for your responses. I'll keep you updated on how she's doing. She'll be going to therapy twice a week.

[grandmagwen]

I just received a phone call from my daughter in law. She tells me she and my son are fighting, right in front of my grandaughter. They fight all the time. This little girl has heard them fighting (from what they tell me, on a daily basis) all of her life. My son has a serious problem with anger and his wife seems to be very emotionally unstable. They are both so immature and selfish -- my grandaughter has been hydrated in the hospital twice due to her eating and drinking problem. She's now being evaluated for sensory processing disorder, and I can't help feeling that the real problems that need to be solved are my son's and his wife's problems. I think they are both mentally ill. What can I do? Would it be right for me to tell the occupational therapy people what kind of environment my grandaughter is living in?