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 Nature含羞草研究社檚 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 she含羞草研究社檚 making them herself.
含羞草研究社淭he waffle recipe isn含羞草研究社檛 easy to make 含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 actually very complex,含羞草研究社� Roman explained. 含羞草研究社淭he next step in this journey is to replicate this recipe and tweak it until it含羞草研究社檚 accepted (by Jerico). Hopefully it含羞草研究社檚 an easy switch-over but the people in the R&D department let me know it含羞草研究社檚 not an exact copy, taste-wise and smell-wise, so we含羞草研究社檒l have to tweak it as we go here.含羞草研究社�
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The Guildford-area family含羞草研究社檚 story has made headlines across North America in recent weeks.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been amazing, and it含羞草研究社檚 good for the awareness around this subject,含羞草研究社� Roman said about all the media attention. 含羞草研究社淭here are tons of families with children and adults dealing with similar challenges, so I含羞草研究社檓 glad it含羞草研究社檚 being talked about to kind of give a voice to people dealing with it.含羞草研究社�
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 Nature含羞草研究社檚 Path Organic Foods as an 含羞草研究社渁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 Jerico含羞草研究社檚 lifeline at this point in his life.含羞草研究社�
The waffle recipe is , along with an explanation that some of the original commercial ingredients are not available at the grocery store. 含羞草研究社淲e wanted to be sure Jenna could easily find everything she needed for the recipe,含羞草研究社� the company says. 含羞草研究社淭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.含羞草研究社�
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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.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 trying to make them without Jerico knowing, at night, because he has no idea about everything that含羞草研究社檚 happening at this point,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 want to create more anxiety around eating and everything about the waffles.含羞草研究社�
(Story continues below video about ARFID, or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
On social media, Roman said she含羞草研究社檚 had to deal with some scornful people who can含羞草研究社檛 understand why Jerico won含羞草研究社檛 eat other things.
含羞草研究社淚 try not to respond,含羞草研究社� she said, 含羞草研究社渂ut people don含羞草研究社檛 understand, or are even open to understanding. It含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 an extreme situation that many kids, parents, adults have to struggle with,含羞草研究社� Roman added, 含羞草研究社渁nd I含羞草研究社檝e been in a situation two times where Jerico almost had to be put on a feeding tube, and that含羞草研究社檚 very hard to take as a parent. He含羞草研究社檚 been through tons of therapy and therapists, and I含羞草研究社檓 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.含羞草研究社�
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Great news and outstanding team effort! Special thanks to and our R&D Team for making this possible. 馃挌
含羞草研究社� Nature's Path Foods (@NaturesPath)
Waffle recipe in hand, Roman went to work making them at home.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 tricky because replicating a commercial, boxed waffle like that is so much different than making waffles at home with an iron,含羞草研究社� she elaborated. 含羞草研究社淵ou have to have right temperature 含羞草研究社� cool it but not too much because it含羞草研究社檒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. It含羞草研究社檚 all quite a process.含羞草研究社�
Ultimately, she含羞草研究社檇 love for Nature含羞草研究社檚 Path to start making her son含羞草研究社檚 favourite waffles again.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 hoping for that, because they含羞草研究社檙e very good waffles,含羞草研究社� Roman said. 含羞草研究社淧eople don含羞草研究社檛 realize they含羞草研究社檙e not making them anymore, so hopefully the company will consider making them again. I don含羞草研究社檛 quite understand why they含羞草研究社檙e gone. It would save a lot of time and energy for me to create them, that含羞草研究社檚 for sure, and I含羞草研究社檓 just thankful they were able to go through everything and recreate the recipe because it wasn含羞草研究社檛 easy, not easy at all.含羞草研究社�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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