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