hi everyone
my son alex has downs syndrome, is aged 20 and adores food especially carbohydrates and the dreaded diet coke! I have decided to take the bull by the horns and get him to lose weight he is 5ft and 13 stones. I have made an appointment to see the gp so that he can be hopefully refered to a dietician. When I say adores food its more like completly obsessed with food the first question of the day is whats for dinner! I have stopped buying crisps and fizzy drinks and feel really motivated to do all I can to help him. Just wondered if anyone else has any tips.

thanks
michelle

Hi Michelle -

It sounds like you're being really pro-active to help your son. One tip I've found for protion control is that if you cook his evening meals try to use smaller dinner plates. It sounds strange but psychologically if a plate looks full -even though its small - he won't feel he's being deprived. On the diet coke front I can empathise with Alex - I love the stuff too - but one can only a day! Good luck - I'm sure the GP will help x

Hi Michelle

The best thing I ever did was buy the Paul McKenna "I will make you thin" book which includes a CD.

I have been obsessed with food and craving food for years but since reading this book and listening to the CD it has really relaxed my attitude to food mainly as you can have whatever you want to eat as long as you follow Paul's rules. GIve it a go you have nothing to lose and especially as your son, like I was, seems to be obsessed with food.

Let me know how it goes if you decide to do this.

I work with a number of youngsters with Downs and most have what I would call food issues. I also had an uncle with Downs syndrome and food played a very important role in his life.
I would go for a healthy diet and try to introduce some fun exercise. What about swimming? We are running a dance workshop for our youngsters because they will love it and it will do them the world of good. Please do not (I'm sure you wouldn't) tell him he is fat - it may make him feel sad. When the weather gets a bit brighter we also invite them to come lunchtime walking with us - good for feeling independent and good for all our health.
How about prepare lots of celery and carrot sticks as alternatives. Hide the bread!! (always a temptation) and give double helpings of other veggies. Limit sweets and crisps to a once a week treat and replace coke with diluted fruit juice or a glass of squash a day. We do fizzy water with squash and it seems to go down well. You get the fizziness without so much sugary badness.

Hi Michelle
I like Abi have had the pleasure of working with many Downs young people over the years and many had weight problems as Alex has at the moment.. Easy answers? There never are! But Alex can probably only eat what you buy or he gets during day time activities, so there is a way of limiting what he has... and you sound as if you have started really well...and diet advise will help... Away from food, I find the best distraction is to keep busy .. and Abi has great suggestions which also give exercise ... maybe some new hobbies or groups? I am sure you have thought of it all but the very best of luck and many thougts sent Alex's way..
Margaret

thanks for your replies, I think I took my eye off the ball with him at xmas when we had lots of family around which ment lots of lovely food and him having free reign at the buffet! He goes swimming once a week and has dance class. Mon-thurs he has packed lunch at college fridays he is allowed to go to the canteen which I know will mean cheesy chips and diet coke he knows he is absolutely not allowed red coke! We are very lucky and live 2 miles from the solent so I hope to up the exercise with him when the weather improves, in fact i am thinking of enroling him at the gym and taking him after college. Silly really but I had not thought of using a smaller plate or the idea of fizzy water with juice so thanks for all the suggestions.
michelle

hi Michelle
From my work with kids with learning disabiities, I have come to understand that kids with Downs don't have the sensation of feeling full. Is this the case with your son? If so, you need to think of portion control, and some kind of positive activity to signal the end of the meal. What I mean is, plan something he will like doing, immediately after his meal. It would also be worth preparing healthy snacks and or getting him to help make smoothies to satisfy the snacking urge.
There is nothing like family to sabotage efforts, so you need to sit them down, and explain why you are doing this and what they can do to help. you could lay it on a bit thick too about the risk of heart problems, and the benifits of losing weight for this.
i'm using a smaller plate, and it's helpng me!
Sue xx

Let's get it right! It's Down Syndrome. Drop the intrusive 's'. It neither belongs to Down nor did he suffer from it.

Val x