My advice Ashley is to talk to your childs therapist about ways to meet your childs emotional needs AND food needs. If R felt that I was restricting her food intake, that would set her over the edge. BUT I do restrict it, in ways she doesn't see. One idea is to eliminate all potential "junk" food from your home. We keep a veggie tray in the fridge that R can eat from anytime, after asking. Can you give her another oral stimulation item to stave off the PICA? Like a teether or sensory toy?
When she was in EI, her OT tried several different jigglers, vibrators, vibrating toothbrushes, chewies, and even different baby teethers. She was not interested in any of them. Our current OT hasn't had a lot of ideas.
We did get rid of junk a while ago. About the junkiest things here are jello and a box of cake mix! I keep some fresh, cut up, ready to go, crunchy veggies in the fridge. That is what I offer her when she is hungry between meals.
I have a HUGE compliance issue with my mother who feeds her anything and everything. I am in nursing school and my mom watches her two-three afternoons a week. Well, she gorges her on whatever. She feeds her two and three lunches. She has gained all her extra weight since she started going there and I am positive that is why.
We don't have a behavioral therapist yet. We are trying to patiently await our consult/eval at the end of November with a Neuropsych. She has seizures so her ped and neurologist wanted her in with a Psychiatrist who could deal with the seizure issue as well. Hopefully after the evals, she will be getting set up with some behavior therapy. She is having major behavioral issues that are beyond me.