Diet Compliance / Swallowing Pills?

[EOK1005]

Hello - I am new to this site. My DS is 9 years old, chronic vocal and motor tics (probably un-dx's TS). I am very interested in what I am reading here about natural therapies, but I have a very difficult time getting my son comply with diet changes; he already has a very limited repertoire of healthy food he will eat, and is VERY resistant to trying new foods of any kind (such as Almond Milk as a supplement for cows milk), let alone eliminating entire food groups like Dairy or Gluten. He is also unable to swallow pills whole at all, so introducing pills has been impossible so far. We found a video online about how to teach kids to swallow pills whole, but he could only get up to a tic tac size before gagging repeatedly and getting agitated.

 

I have been using Kids Calm liquid for Omega3/megnesium/mulit and giving him a chewable pediatric probiotic; I also limit exposure to sugars and dyes/colors, and eat whole foods as often as possible. Thats about all I have been able to achieve so far.

 

Can anyone offer advice as to how they overcame struggles like this relating to complying with diet changes and swalowing pills? I would really appreciate it.

[Chemar]

Hi and welcome

 

Diet compliance is tough. Best way imo is to find as many great recipes as possible that incorporate the acceptable substitutes

 

re swallowing pills....best tip I have is to take them while drinking liquid through a straw.

[Pilbara]

It is very hard to get young children to swallow pills, I tried everything I could find on the internet without any success. My son's supplements are in powder form, so their are options out there. I work with a Naturopath, I think it helps us find the best brands for him to take. The only tablet he takes is to detox his body from Aluminium. I crush it up and add it to his supplement drinks.

 

With food although we have not had to make dramatic changes, there are certainly foods he is no longer able to have (2 minute noodles as an example). I try to change one thing for another, so I found a noddle that has no additives and use broth as the flavour. On other occasions such, like with MSG, it's an absolute no and we talk about his tics (which he calls his "ah ah" sounds) and how this food choice will make it worse and is he willing to have that happen. I give him the choice after giving him the information about consequences. Guess they have got to learn to make choices themselves and gives them a sense of power.

Have you confirmed that the food group you are eliminating is required? My son has no specific allergies, but there are food triggers. If I was not getting results with his supplements and other changes in the environment, then I would go back to looking for intolerances. There are also other types of diet such as the rotation diet to look at if taking to much away to fast is not achievable.

I did find that it takes a few months for the supplements to start having an impact. Your on the right track, so hang in there. Hope you get some positive results with your son.