All About Autism

[tyeogh]

tiredmummy1972:

If cost is a concern, can go to the polyclinic and get them to refer to KKH or NUH.

Tiredmummy1972, agree with Double E and slmkhoo. Seek help early. My boy was 2 yrs 3 mths when I brought him to NUH CDU. Like slmkhoo wrote, the diagnosis will not definitive but what you want to do is to start the early intervention.

I like the part where Double E mentioned to get a referral from a polyclinic. This way, your future consultations (and there will be many future consultations) will be cheaper. This is the part I did not do.....

[tyeogh]

Couragemom:

Hi tyeogh,


You flatter me lah! I am aiming for just a HDB 3 room flat, definitely not a condo! I will of course train my son to be independent in his adulthood but like what you said, you don't know what will happen in 5 years let alone 20 years, this is just my Plan B for my son. If he is able to hold a good job and all, well.. The savings will fund my around the world expenses then! *grin*

Aww.....I love you....steel!

[tyeogh]

kitty2:

May I know how you make him eat? If one's brain is not nourish, it may not be able to develop well. Wonder kkh has food psychiatrist? Who is your child development doctor? Need any referral?

Thanks for sharing

The Food Psychiatrist investigated the food we were trying to feed him with, his eating habits, is his jaw weak, is the food bland etc. Basically to understand the current problem.

Then she made recommendations. No food between meals. Tire him out. Make him hungry. Introduce taste. Jaw massage and exercise. Rotate food. Experiment different foods etc.

I remember she taught me to play his favorite TV show Barney just to get him to eat. We were taught to only play Barney during his meal time so that it will become a routine every time he sees Barney, he has to eat, else I will switch it off. I believe that did the trick.

All done over a few weeks of consultations depending how how urgent the situation. That week that he was not eating, even his doctor called us daily.

I used to see Dr Tammy Quek at NUH CDU. She has since left. Can't remember her replacement's or Food Pyschiatrist name. The child development doctor will tie you up with a Food Psychiatrist. I believe NUH CDU has an in-house Food Psychiatrist.

Get a referral from a polyclinic to go NUH CDU. Then you will be charged a lower rate if your child is a citizen. If you cannot afford to wait, just call NUH CDU to make an appt and pay normal rates (I think about $50-$70 per consultation).

I do not know the situation for KKH. All the best.

[kitty2]

tyeogh:

kitty2:

May I know how you make him eat? If one's brain is not nourish, it may not be able to develop well. Wonder kkh has food psychiatrist? Who is your child development doctor? Need any referral?

Thanks for sharing

The Food Psychiatrist investigated the food we were trying to feed him with, his eating habits, is his jaw weak, is the food bland etc. Basically to understand the current problem.

Then she made recommendations. No food between meals. Tire him out. Make him hungry. Introduce taste. Jaw massage and exercise. Rotate food. Experiment different foods etc.

All done over a few weeks of consultations depending how how urgent the situation. That week that he was not eating, even his doctor called us daily.

I used to see Dr Tammy Quek at NUH CDU. She has since left. Can't remember her replacement's or Food Pyschiatrist name. The child development doctor will tie you up with a Food Psychiatrist. I believe NUH CDU has an in-house Food Psychiatrist.

Get a referral from a polyclinic to go NUH CDU. Then you will be charged a lower rate if your child is a citizen. If you cannot afford to wait, just call NUH CDU to make an appt and pay normal rates (I think about $50-$70 per consultation).

I do not know the situation for KKH. All the best.

Thank you very much! May I know your kid can speak well? Her son can't really speak much and can't focus in class. Does your kid like milk?

Will ask her to seek help ASAP, thanks!

[tyeogh]

I just edited my post to include the Barney part. Just remembered it. LoL.


My son was non-verbal at that time. Yes, he loved his milk. He was surviving on milk only at that time.

I suspect he has a weak jaw. It explains the non verbal and non eating part. May be the case for your nephew.

Now, when he eats, his mouth is left hanging open. Like a dog lor. Close it for him, it drops. Close it, it drops. He still can talk and laugh with the food inside and mouth open. Amazed he is not choking. Maybe it’s a skill he learnt…LoL

[sharonkhoo]

tyeogh:

The Food Psychiatrist investigated the food we were trying to feed him with, his eating habits, is his jaw weak, is the food bland etc. Basically to understand the current problem.


Then she made recommendations. No food between meals. Tire him out. Make him hungry. Introduce taste. Jaw massage and exercise. Rotate food. Experiment different foods etc.

Most of this the parents can do right away without waiting for a referral. The only thing they may need a professional to advise is to check if his jaw is weak and to show how to massage if necessary. If he hasn't been eating much or is unadventurous, his jaw is likely to be weak anyway because of lack of exercise.

[tyeogh]

slmkhoo:

Most of this the parents can do right away without waiting for a referral. The only thing they may need a professional to advise is to check if his jaw is weak and to show how to massage if necessary. If he hasn't been eating much or is unadventurous, his jaw is likely to be weak anyway because of lack of exercise.

Ya, but it's best kitty2 finds out from a trained food psychiatrist lah. Not me leh. Dont stress me. Wait I give wrong advice. *sweat*

For me, when the food psychiatrist went through her check list, she discovered I was feeding him milk between meals. That made him less hungry. Some things may be obvious but needs some reminding. Especially since he is my 4th child. She then asked me for a powerful motivator (Barney shows) and taught me how to use it. So it's like a customized solution.

[kitty2]

tyeogh:

slmkhoo:

Most of this the parents can do right away without waiting for a referral. The only thing they may need a professional to advise is to check if his jaw is weak and to show how to massage if necessary. If he hasn't been eating much or is unadventurous, his jaw is likely to be weak anyway because of lack of exercise.

Ya, but it's best kitty2 finds out from a trained food psychiatrist lah. Not me leh. Dont stress me. Wait I give wrong advice. *sweat*

For me, when the food psychiatrist went through her check list, she discovered I was feeding him milk between meals. That made him less hungry. Some things may be obvious but needs some reminding. Especially since he is my 4th child. She then asked me for a powerful motivator (Barney shows) and taught me how to use it. So it's like a customized solution.

No worry, you are just sharing thanks :hugs: my friend is actually in a lost as her son has seen countless doctor and assessments

[Double E]

kitty2:

Wonder all your kids have problem eating well?The specialist suspects my friend's 4 yr old kid as Autism.He has problem eating well and need to force feed.My friend is very lost and frustrated :frustrated: He can't communicate well and can't focus in class.The teacher may want him to leave the school

I don't think autism and eating disorder are correlated. My son eats very well, he eats anything and everything although now that he is 5, he starts to have preference of food and is more selective. But generally no problem with eating. But one thing I notice, he doesn't seem to know how to spit out his food if is too hot or he ate something wrong. He will instead cry for help and forcefully swallow the food. This makes me worry as if the food is too hot, it can burn his tongue or worse, he swallows a fish bone
....But...but....amazingly when he was about two, when I accidentally fed him a mouth of porridge with a a fish bone, he was able to swallow the porridge but held on to the bone with his teeth. I noticed his expressions wasn't right then and made him open his mouth to show me....and there it is, a fish bone. Really thank God for his blessing!!

[kitty2]

Double E:

kitty2:

Wonder all your kids have problem eating well?The specialist suspects my friend's 4 yr old kid as Autism.He has problem eating well and need to force feed.My friend is very lost and frustrated :frustrated: He can't communicate well and can't focus in class.The teacher may want him to leave the school

I don't think autism and eating disorder are correlated. My son eats very well, he eats anything and everything although now that he is 5, he starts to have preference of food and is more selective. But generally no problem with eating. But one thing I notice, he doesn't seem to know how to spit out his food if is too hot or he ate something wrong. He will instead cry for help and forcefully swallow the food. This makes me worry as if the food is too hot, it can burn his tongue or worse, he swallows a fish bone
....But...but....amazingly when he was about two, when I accidentally fed him a mouth of porridge with a a fish bone, he was able to swallow the porridge but held on to the bone with his teeth. I noticed his expressions wasn't right then and made him open his mouth to show me....and there it is, a fish bone. Really thank God for his blessing!!

:thankyou: