Core Skills Analysis
Science
- Jyemeka can learn about the importance of nutrition through hands-on experiments like growing vegetables or exploring different food groups.
- Utilizing visuals like colorful diagrams or picture cards can help Jyemeka understand the impact of food on her body.
- Incorporating sensory experiences like touch and smell during science experiments can create positive associations with food for Jyemeka.
- Integrating social stories or videos about food and nutrition can help Jyemeka grasp abstract concepts related to her ARFID.
Math
- Using food items as math manipulatives can make learning mathematical concepts more engaging for Jyemeka.
- Creating a visual food journal with graphs and charts can help Jyemeka track her eating habits and understand portion sizes.
- Implementing cooking activities can involve measuring ingredients, reinforcing math skills in a practical context for Jyemeka.
- Relating math problems to real-life scenarios involving food can enhance Jyemeka's understanding and application of mathematical concepts.
Tips
To support Jyemeka's continued development in overcoming ARFID and accepting new foods, consider incorporating her interests into mealtime, using visual schedules to create predictability, introducing new foods gradually in a non-threatening manner, and providing positive reinforcement for trying new foods.
Book Recommendations
- The Goodbye Chair by Sarah Keane: This book is about a little girl with ARFID who finds a way with the help of her family to make the chair goodbye.
- I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child: A story about a brother and sister where the latter is a very picky eater, creatively introduced to food items.
- Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat: Gregory the goat refuses to eat typical goat food and would rather eat fruits, vegetables, eggs, and fish.