A six-year-old girl who only ate chicken nuggets beats her bizarre addiction after being hypnotised

A six-year-old girl who only ate chicken nuggets beats her bizarre addiction after being hypnotised

A six-year-old girl who only ate chicken nuggets due to a bizarre phobia has been cured after being hypnotised.Jessica Jones would refuse to eat anything other than Birds Eye dippers or Bernard Mathews dinosaurs with all other foods making her gag.She developed her fear of certain foods when mum Lesley, 32, tried to move her onto solids as a baby.Jessica now munches through two packs of the snacks every week costing Lesley more than £40-a-month.Lesley, a teaching assistant, took Jessica to her GP but she was told the youngster would grow out of her nugget obsession.But Lesley became so concerned she approached a hypnotherapist who said Jessica had Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).She underwent two hours of hypnotherapy treatment and is now able to eat a more balanced diet.Lesley, of St Helens, Merseyside, said: "It started when she was a baby. "When she started weaning she would eat some soft food, but when it came to finger food she became very picky about what she ate. "I would put stuff in front of her like Shepherd's pie and spaghetti and she would refuse to eat it when she was two. "She would eat some fruit and vegetables when she was younger but then it was nothing else apart from Birds Eye chicken nuggets or Bernard Mathews dinosaurs. "She didn't even eat chips so when I took her to McDonald's she just had nuggets."It had been going on for years when I took her to the doctor, but she just shrugged me off. "It got to the point where going on holiday was a nightmare if there weren't chicken nuggets. "We had been on holiday to Turkey and she went a whole week without eating because they didn't do chicken nuggets over there. "I was so worried about her when I got back I took her for blood tests and demanded to be referred by the doctor. "We did see a specialist like a dietician who said she was just fussy and would grow out of it.

He wasn't concerned about her health or weight. "As a parent I didn't believe that because I'd see the fear in her eyes when she had new food in front of her. "We persevered but she wasn't trying any new things at all."Lesley, who has two other children, eventually contacted Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist David Kilmurry for help.He invited them to come for a session at his clinic in Coventry and they drove 250 miles to meet him earlier this month.Lesley said: "It was a long way to go for the session but we were so desperate for her to get better. "The hypnotherapy session was for two hours - he was playing with her and interacting with her until he started hypnotising her and relaxing her. "At the end of the session she didn't really give in and wouldn't try anything, but on the way home she said she was starving and we stopped at KFC. "She had some chicken fillets from there - that was a big breakthrough for her. "In the last couple of weeks the first thing she tried was some apple and the first thing she licked were some grapes. "Then when we were sat watching a film at home with some popcorn, she asked if she could have some and did. "She would never have done that in the past. "Now in the morning she has some kids' cereal without milk, but before she just had dry biscuits. "It's amazing what she's eating now when for years she would only eat chicken nuggets and dinosaurs."She now likes trying things and getting praise from us.

We have got a reward chart where she gets stickers for trying foods."She's starting wanting to try cut-up apple so she can be like her friends and have it for her snack at school."Life coach David, who specialises in treating fussy eaters, said: "It's such a shame when ARFID infects any family as parents are pressurised by this very misunderstood issue."Jessica took to the session beautifully and deep in there wanted so badly to eat. "Considering her diet was chicken nuggets and not even chocolate or any other six-year-old foods, any movement is brilliant movement." 

A six-year-old girl who only ate chicken nuggets due to a bizarre phobia has been cured after being hypnotised.Jessica Jones would refuse to eat anything other than Birds Eye dippers or Bernard Mathews dinosaurs with all other foods making her gag.She developed her fear of certain foods when mum Lesley, 32, tried to move her onto solids as a baby.Jessica now munches through two packs of the snacks every week costing Lesley more than £40-a-month.Lesley, a teaching assistant, took Jessica to her GP but she was told the youngster would grow out of her nugget obsession.But Lesley became so concerned she approached a hypnotherapist who said Jessica had Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).She underwent two hours of hypnotherapy treatment and is now able to eat a more balanced diet.Lesley, of St Helens, Merseyside, said: "It started when she was a baby.

"When she started weaning she would eat some soft food, but when it came to finger food she became very picky about what she ate.

"I would put stuff in front of her like Shepherd's pie and spaghetti and she would refuse to eat it when she was two.

"She would eat some fruit and vegetables when she was younger but then it was nothing else apart from Birds Eye chicken nuggets or Bernard Mathews dinosaurs.

"She didn't even eat chips so when I took her to McDonald's she just had nuggets."It had been going on for years when I took her to the doctor, but she just shrugged me off.

"It got to the point where going on holiday was a nightmare if there weren't chicken nuggets.

"We had been on holiday to Turkey and she went a whole week without eating because they didn't do chicken nuggets over there.

"I was so worried about her when I got back I took her for blood tests and demanded to be referred by the doctor.

"We did see a specialist like a dietician who said she was just fussy and would grow out of it.

He wasn't concerned about her health or weight.

"As a parent I didn't believe that because I'd see the fear in her eyes when she had new food in front of her.

"We persevered but she wasn't trying any new things at all."Lesley, who has two other children, eventually contacted Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist David Kilmurry for help.He invited them to come for a session at his clinic in Coventry and they drove 250 miles to meet him earlier this month.Lesley said: "It was a long way to go for the session but we were so desperate for her to get better.

"The hypnotherapy session was for two hours - he was playing with her and interacting with her until he started hypnotising her and relaxing her.

"At the end of the session she didn't really give in and wouldn't try anything, but on the way home she said she was starving and we stopped at KFC.

"She had some chicken fillets from there - that was a big breakthrough for her.

"In the last couple of weeks the first thing she tried was some apple and the first thing she licked were some grapes.

"Then when we were sat watching a film at home with some popcorn, she asked if she could have some and did.

"She would never have done that in the past.

"Now in the morning she has some kids' cereal without milk, but before she just had dry biscuits.

"It's amazing what she's eating now when for years she would only eat chicken nuggets and dinosaurs."She now likes trying things and getting praise from us.

We have got a reward chart where she gets stickers for trying foods."She's starting wanting to try cut-up apple so she can be like her friends and have it for her snack at school."Life coach David, who specialises in treating fussy eaters, said: "It's such a shame when ARFID infects any family as parents are pressurised by this very misunderstood issue."Jessica took to the session beautifully and deep in there wanted so badly to eat.

"Considering her diet was chicken nuggets and not even chocolate or any other six-year-old foods, any movement is brilliant movement."