Anchor Foods

Vicky,
Last night in SJS we had a guest speaker, Christie Bacon, a Speech Pathologist from Los Gatos. She was great! She talked about foods and how to get our students to try new things. I was able to ask about Abra.

First off you need an Anchor Food -- for Abra at school it is chips. From chips you would probably go with the same texture but a different size or color. However, since we are now doing chips and peanut butter she suggested trying jam (it’s sticky and goes well with peanut butter). She said to keep it fun and never be demanding. We also have a set time in her schedule that she seems to love. All I have to do now is open the refrigerator door at about 10 ish and bring out the peanut butter and she right by my side. Too funny!

For today Christie told me to make my own chip with peanut butter and jam and eat it with Abra. I didn’t put the jam on Abra’s chips but put it on the plate and placed her chips near or on top of the jam (see pic). Abra wiped off some of the jam but ended up eating a bit of it and seemed OK with it. I had my chip on my plate but Abra stole it and wiped off the jam and ate it! She asked for more 2 times.

Anyway, Christie said to have patience and remember the food chain and what foods go well with each other. And to always start with the Anchor Food. I guess for you at home that would be the sandwich. You might start putting slivers of tomatoes on the plate or on top of the sandwich and let her take them off. Or you could have your own Treat Time and have something fun after dinner.
PS: Christie said to never hide the food.