Dana, you seem to have your finger on the pulse of the autism community. Thanks for sharing what you have learned through your years of clinical experience, as well as what you have learned from autistics themselves as they reflect on their struggles and what has helped them.
I love this article. My daughter is not a super picky eater but it is not great, anyways, she stopped drinking water, she just does not want to drink water. She only drinks Caffeine Free diet coke (pls do not judge) and orange juice. We do give her Pedialyte popsicles to increase her hydration. We have tried many other drinks, healthier drinks but she refuses and if we just stop buying Diet Coke, she will just not drink. How would you deal with this situation? Thank you!
First, know that I won’t ever judge a parent. You all are some of the most amazing people I know! I’m so glad that you reached out. It seems like she likes more “intense” drinks - Diet Coke is fizzy, so that’s more intense, and then orange juice is a lot stronger than other juices. It will probably be very difficult to just stop, so I’m thinking more about a gradual change. Would she drink club soda (fizzy) with a bit of juice mixed in? This way, it’s less sugar and more water. I have a couple of clients who drink club soda mixed with a touch of juice (you may have to start with a 50/50 mix) and then slowly decrease the amount of juice. With the orange juice, I would slowly add more water so that it’s watered down. It may take longer than you think, but it’s a strategy that has worked with a few of my clients. Let me know how things go!
Dana, you seem to have your finger on the pulse of the autism community. Thanks for sharing what you have learned through your years of clinical experience, as well as what you have learned from autistics themselves as they reflect on their struggles and what has helped them.
You’re very welcome, Tonya!
I love this article. My daughter is not a super picky eater but it is not great, anyways, she stopped drinking water, she just does not want to drink water. She only drinks Caffeine Free diet coke (pls do not judge) and orange juice. We do give her Pedialyte popsicles to increase her hydration. We have tried many other drinks, healthier drinks but she refuses and if we just stop buying Diet Coke, she will just not drink. How would you deal with this situation? Thank you!
First, know that I won’t ever judge a parent. You all are some of the most amazing people I know! I’m so glad that you reached out. It seems like she likes more “intense” drinks - Diet Coke is fizzy, so that’s more intense, and then orange juice is a lot stronger than other juices. It will probably be very difficult to just stop, so I’m thinking more about a gradual change. Would she drink club soda (fizzy) with a bit of juice mixed in? This way, it’s less sugar and more water. I have a couple of clients who drink club soda mixed with a touch of juice (you may have to start with a 50/50 mix) and then slowly decrease the amount of juice. With the orange juice, I would slowly add more water so that it’s watered down. It may take longer than you think, but it’s a strategy that has worked with a few of my clients. Let me know how things go!