Don’t Forget the Breakfast
Eat your breakfast and (if you’re an adolescent) you’re less likely to become overweight, according to a recent study in Pediatrics (March 2008) of adolescents from Minneapolis-St. Paul public schools (here’s a write-up in the New York Times, too.) Charlie definitely eats, and definitely needs, his breakfast—but he’s never ready to eat it before getting on the bus. He just does not seem inclined to eat on first waking up (well, I’m not either, though I need my coffee). I used to struggle to get him to eat something, and found myself picking up lots of waffle pieces and bits of cereal from the floor of my kitchen or car.
Just over a year ago, Charlie’s then-teacher—noting that he had started to ask for lunch around 10 o’clock and ate ravenously—-asked if we could send in breakfast. “He can eat it when he comes in to the classroom,” she said, very matter-of-factly. And that’s what Charlie has been doing ever since (and the middle school teacher has noted that this is fine with her). Everyone agreed that it was surely better for Charlie to start school with something in his stomach when he was ready to eat it, rather than insisting that he stick it out until lunchtime—-a small accommodation.
As they say, a good breakfast is the start to a good day.
Tags: Adolescence, asd, asperger, autism, breakfast, Family, food, Parenting, pdd-nos, special education, teachersRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Adolescence, Food and Diet
11 opinions for Don’t Forget the Breakfast
Daisy
Mar 26, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Our school’s breakfast program is packed. some kids get free lunch and breakfast, some reduced price, some pay full price, but the most important fact is that they get breakfast. They’re more ready for learning.
Regan
Mar 26, 2008 at 8:57 pm
We go through waves. About 6 months ago Eleanor woke up very early because she was starving and either demanded breakfast or did her own independent foraging. It correlated with a rapid growth spurt.
Now she is “meh” and needs a couple of hours before she wants to take on something more than a glass of orange juice (which makes her kind of like the rest of us…not big eating first thing in the morning folk).
It’s nice that Charlie’s teacher is accommodating of his personal bio-clock and not making a big deal.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Mar 26, 2008 at 10:35 pm
It’s been two teachers now who’ve agreed to this—-he really does need to eat (growth spurts seem to be happening all the time of late!).
Norah
Mar 27, 2008 at 9:27 am
I’ve never really been able to eat breakfast when I should. I just am not hungry for 1-2 hours after waking. Nowadays I eat breakfast anyway (sometimes it’s enough to make me gag), because I know that at work I won’t get a chance to eat until lunchtime, which is rather late at my workplace. But when I was younger, especially during my teens, I often skipped it (though not most of the time).
KimJ
Mar 27, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Regan, my son is the opposite, he loses his appetite when he grows. He has been eating double oatmeals (with wheat germ and real maple syrup) and Ovaltine for breakfast for years now.
I never liked eating breakfast early but I did eat cold cereal or oatmeal (sugary w/ milk) until my teen years. Then I skipped meals. I have to force myself to eat in the morning. (yes, it gets gaggy for me too) But I’m trying to eat better and oatmeal sticks to your ribs.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Mar 27, 2008 at 10:30 pm
My husband does not eat in the morning if he’s teaching—-it makes him groggy and sleepy. I’m wondering if the same might be going on for Charlie, as he’s been sleepy at school around 10am, after eating.
Bonnie Sayers
May 10, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I cannot eat first thing in the AM and only have a slimfast shake and then after taking Matt to school can come home and have some eggs and toast. Nick is now eating activia or cereal and milk in AM and then for snack around 10 having the other that he did not have at breakfast.
The bused kids have breakfast at school, which is where I take Matt in the AM and it is so crowded there and chaotic it is hard to find a seat on the benches and then the pidgeons are all over and the kitchen crew use wet mops to clean the tables. I find it quite revolting to eat outside there and will be happy when school is finally over.
I pack a yogurt and cinnamon sticks for Matt to have at AM recess and one other classmate does the same thing.
My issue for many years has been why do the special ed students have to sit still on benches after breakfast and then wait for teacher or aides to take them to class when the gen ed kids get to run amuk on the playground. This is what the special ed kids need before sitting down in class. This has always bugged me that they get treated differently this way.
Bonnie Sayers
May 10, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I forgot to mention that since Nick is in a growth spurt and eats a lot, I got the book How to feed a teenage boy - recipes and strategies. It shows how many calories they need and sources of iron, etc. This is just a regular book for kids and no mention of autism. This way I can compare how he eats to NT kids and see what to do about slowing the pace of eating constantly.
Regan
May 10, 2008 at 3:00 pm
“My issue for many years has been why do the special ed students have to sit still on benches after breakfast and then wait for teacher or aides to take them to class when the gen ed kids get to run amuk on the playground. This is what the special ed kids need before sitting down in class. This has always bugged me that they get treated differently this way.”
——————-
Do they say why?
I am not a big fan of teaching “Dead Man” behavior–i.e., no behavior or be still, be quiet, be docile–just because circumstances give permission, and without some overwhelming reason, it does seem discriminatory.
Based on some research, getting some ya-yas out can help concentration, as opposed to sitting before more sitting.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 10, 2008 at 3:27 pm
This is exactly why having daily PE has helped Charlie immensely—-he has it in the mid-morning, yoga, fitness (calisthetics), soccer, etc.. He used to only have PE once a week on Friday afternoon—not very helpful and too little too late.
Bonnie Sayers
May 10, 2008 at 5:03 pm
It was this way at the other Elem school as well so maybe it has to do with giving them more time to eat and buses are late sometimes.
At the previous Elem school which is around the corner from our house I would take Matt early and he would do laps around the small playground that was for preschool and they started later and it was near his classroom. that class the kids ate inside the room since it was across from cafe and pidgeons and birds would be near the entrance of the cafeteria so this was okay to eat in classroom. Then after they ate they did puzzles and reading before the bell rang. That teacher retired a year later and the school he is at now the teacher was brand new the first year we were there. Now it has been four years in same classroom, same teacher and new aide this year and same students.
The other day I asked the AP about graduation and how that will go since I want to wait in class with Matt until time for him to go and not put him through all that. They will tell me how he does with practice, but next two weeks are testing.
We just got back from the lake where we walked a lap and then went to Rite Aid.
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