A Surrey mother is working hard on her baking skills, now that a commercial waffle maker has given her the recipe to help feed her very discerning son.
Jenna Roman was thrilled when Richmond-based NatureB次元官网网址檚 Path Foods sent precise details about how to make their discontinued Maple Cinnamon Waffles, which is the only food eaten by her son, Jerico, other than vitamin-packed smoothies. The nine-year-old has autism, and struggles with extreme oral aversion and complex eating challenges.
In recent months , and now sheB次元官网网址檚 making them herself.
B次元官网网址淭he waffle recipe isnB次元官网网址檛 easy to make B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 actually very complex,B次元官网网址� Roman explained. B次元官网网址淭he next step in this journey is to replicate this recipe and tweak it until itB次元官网网址檚 accepted (by Jerico). Hopefully itB次元官网网址檚 an easy switch-over but the people in the R&D department let me know itB次元官网网址檚 not an exact copy, taste-wise and smell-wise, so weB次元官网网址檒l have to tweak it as we go here.B次元官网网址�
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The Guildford-area familyB次元官网网址檚 story has made headlines across North America in recent weeks.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been amazing, and itB次元官网网址檚 good for the awareness around this subject,B次元官网网址� Roman said about all the media attention. B次元官网网址淭here are tons of families with children and adults dealing with similar challenges, so IB次元官网网址檓 glad itB次元官网网址檚 being talked about to kind of give a voice to people dealing with it.B次元官网网址�
People with oral aversion, like Jerico, strongly dislike or are afraid of anything touching their mouth, which can lead to a refusal to eat, drink, be touched or an overactive gag reflex.
Roman started and accounts to document the ordeal, and a has raised more than $5,000 for her to buy more of the waffles and two freezers to store them for Jerico, who turns 10 in April.
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The raves about NatureB次元官网网址檚 Path Organic Foods as an B次元官网网址渁mazing company that has gone above and beyond to help Jerico. Without them, I would have no direction or plan on what to do when my stock runs out. This is JericoB次元官网网址檚 lifeline at this point in his life.B次元官网网址�
The waffle recipe is , along with an explanation that some of the original commercial ingredients are not available at the grocery store. B次元官网网址淲e wanted to be sure Jenna could easily find everything she needed for the recipe,B次元官网网址� the company says. B次元官网网址淭hen the amounts had to be adjusted, but the (research & development) team was determined to get just right! Over several weeks, they repeatedly tested and tweaked the recipe and now feel they have developed a home recipe that tastes just like our commercial Cinnamon Maple Waffles.B次元官网网址�
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PICTURED: Jenna Roman (submitted photo)
A single mother of three, Roman has had her hands full searching for a waffle solution.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 trying to make them without Jerico knowing, at night, because he has no idea about everything thatB次元官网网址檚 happening at this point,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to create more anxiety around eating and everything about the waffles.B次元官网网址�
(Story continues below video about ARFID, or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
On social media, Roman said sheB次元官网网址檚 had to deal with some scornful people who canB次元官网网址檛 understand why Jerico wonB次元官网网址檛 eat other things.
B次元官网网址淚 try not to respond,B次元官网网址� she said, B次元官网网址渂ut people donB次元官网网址檛 understand, or are even open to understanding. ItB次元官网网址檚 a severe challenge, and back in the day, kids who had these challenges were institutionalized and just put away, because nobody knew how to deal with it. Some kids will starve themselves, to the point of hospitalization and needing a feeding tube.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an extreme situation that many kids, parents, adults have to struggle with,B次元官网网址� Roman added, B次元官网网址渁nd IB次元官网网址檝e been in a situation two times where Jerico almost had to be put on a feeding tube, and thatB次元官网网址檚 very hard to take as a parent. HeB次元官网网址檚 been through tons of therapy and therapists, and IB次元官网网址檓 hoping that with all this attention, maybe a specialist would want to jump on board and work with Jerico on this situation. He also deals with migraines triggered by anxiety that go with feeding as well.B次元官网网址�
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Great news and outstanding team effort! Special thanks to and our R&D Team for making this possible. 馃挌
B次元官网网址� Nature's Path Foods (@NaturesPath)
Waffle recipe in hand, Roman went to work making them at home.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 tricky because replicating a commercial, boxed waffle like that is so much different than making waffles at home with an iron,B次元官网网址� she elaborated. B次元官网网址淵ou have to have right temperature B次元官网网址� cool it but not too much because itB次元官网网址檒l go soggy when you freeze it, so the timing is key too. They actually gave me two (recipes), and they said I might have to bake them as well before freezing. ItB次元官网网址檚 all quite a process.B次元官网网址�
Ultimately, sheB次元官网网址檇 love for NatureB次元官网网址檚 Path to start making her sonB次元官网网址檚 favourite waffles again.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hoping for that, because theyB次元官网网址檙e very good waffles,B次元官网网址� Roman said. B次元官网网址淧eople donB次元官网网址檛 realize theyB次元官网网址檙e not making them anymore, so hopefully the company will consider making them again. I donB次元官网网址檛 quite understand why theyB次元官网网址檙e gone. It would save a lot of time and energy for me to create them, thatB次元官网网址檚 for sure, and IB次元官网网址檓 just thankful they were able to go through everything and recreate the recipe because it wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy, not easy at all.B次元官网网址�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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