- Student C is boy in Year 8 who has an ASD diagnosis and has had a tough time fitting in with secondary school life – he said he did not have any friends in his own year group.
- He claimed he was a fussy eater, consumed 4 or 5 Coke Zeros a day and did very little exercise.
- Initially he was very resistant to doing anything but he found he that he really enjoyed boxing.
- He became very interested in the gut microbiome and its impact on overall health and this led to him being willing to try to switch out his coke zero in the morning for a black coffee.
- He quite enjoyed this change and it gave him encouragement to make other changes.
- He got a punch bag for Christmas and added a 5 min boxing session to his day when he returned home from school.
- He also swapped another coke zero for a can of Hip Pop Kombucha.
- He became interested in ultra processed foods and wanted to know alternatives to Coco Pops! He decided to try eggs which he enjoyed. He also tried chopping fruit and adding some nuts.
- He now reports feeling much happier and is far more positive.
His mum commented that…
… C has improved immensely over the last few weeks. I can see he is starting to settle into school and his whole demeanour has shifted from anxious to being more confident. Long may it continue!