tactstile defensive

The Rock has issues with sensory things. He has a difficult time touching most foods (fruit, veggies, noodles, pudding, yogurt, meat, basically everything that isn't crunchy, sometimes he surprises me) and even wants to run away when you are eating these things around him. He has even been known to gag at watching you eat something. Food is not the end of this issue he doesn't like to touch anything slimy or gooey (play dough, paint, grass, the list goes on and on) This was a huge eye opener to us. Can you imagine gaging or wanting to throw up because someone is eating yogurt or noodles or watermelon? What do you do? We have started over taking these things slower. We give him choices with food but don't force him to eat anything or even put it on his plate. We do art projects and push through it with him and stop if he gags or gets mad. We have sensory boxes with rice, beans and cotton balls in them. We take time to play in the boxes and put his feet and hands in them. The picture above is after he had eaten a sucker that got all over his mouth and then we played with the cotton balls. He put the cotton balls up to his face and they stuck. For a minute before I got the camera he had a very cute Santa beard. Last Sunday Aunt Sadie made amazing cupcakes and the Rock wanted one, GREAT! He ate all of it with frosting and crumbs all over, after he was done he rubbed his hands together, WOW! This is wonderful because he was able to accept the feeling and then to rub his hands together and accentuate the feeling is awesome. The more and more sensory input he allows himself to accept the better he gets and is able to work and learn more in different situations. Below is a video of him eating Ice cream. Utensils are too much for him but some how he has learned that Ice cream and Popsicles are yummy and slimy. Pop Pop is a new word. He will even open the freezer (HUGE accomplishment) and get a popsicle out.