A schoolgirl who was addicted to Yorkshire puddings has finally eaten a proper meal – thanks to hypnosis.
Tallulah Dent, 11, had eaten six plain Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire puddings for dinner every day since she was four. The youngster ate at least 24 a week and even devoured a plate of the crispy battered puds on Christmas Day instead of turkey and vegetables.
She couldn’t stand trying new foods like cheese sandwiches or chicken, which made her feel physically sick and gag.
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Her worried mum Gemma desperately tried to encourage Tallulah to try other foods but she was unable to keep anything else down. She managed to eat a simple ham sandwich for lunch and occasionally a slice of cheese pizza but Tallulah always returned to her favourite puds.
Eventually, Tallulah asked her mum to seek help after she tried a dish of chicken and veg which left her in tears. Gemma contacted cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist David Kilmurry after Tallulah was diagnosed with ARFID — avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder.
(Image: © Gemma Dent / SWNS)
She underwent 12 intense weeks of hypnotherapy sessions and now Tallulah is trying all kinds of new foods. Thrilled Gemma, 41, of Staffordshire, said: “When she came back one day from nursery she just started refusing certain foods.
“She used to eat chicken dippers and that was fine but then one day she refused to eat them because she said they looked different. I made everything from scratch for my kids. She used to eat absolutely everything.
“I thought it was a phase and just thought she would outgrow it but she just point blank refused almost all foods except Yorkshire puddings.
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“She would eat an entire plate of them for dinner. One Christmas she just had a plate of Yorkshire puddings while we all had Christmas dinner with the trimmings.
“I just felt like I was a bad parent and worried about her health. She physically couldn’t put other foods to her lips. You’d see her go red and she’d be shaking, it was horrendous.
“She wanted to try the food but she couldn’t physically not put it near her mouth. She used to say, ‘what’s wrong with me, why can’t I eat it?’ She just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t do it.
“At its worst, she would be having Yorkshire puddings almost every night. The other nights she’d have pancakes or a ham toastie but it was really restrictive.
“I’d always have a pack of Aunt Bessie’s in the freezer or I’d make my own. It was always a nightmare going out for dinners. I tended to stick to the same places.
“When we went for a carvery I explained to the staff that she would only eat Yorkshire puddings. We’d pay £1 and she could have as many as she wanted.”
Gemma first noted something was wrong during Covid and began researching her options before she started hypnotherapy. Just months after completing her treatment, Tallulah now enjoys healthy salads and roast dinners with all the trimmings.
Tallulah said: “I only really liked beige foods and Yorkshire puddings were my absolute favourite. I just couldn’t get enough of them. I still like them but I want to try different foods too.
“Now I like peppers and noodles, curry nuts and dried fruit. I’ve tried boiled eggs and fried eggs too.”
Gemma added: “She tried different types of nuts, she tried fruit, bread and cheeses. She tried warmer food and pasta. He took her to Subway.
“I think we’ve still got a way to go but she will try anything. The other day she ate a salad for dinner. We’re more or less eating the same thing. She will try things which before she physically couldn’t do.
“It’s made my life a lot easier. She’s really happy to be eating salad all the time. She loves a pot noodle. It gets her down the noodle route.
“When I do a roast dinner I’ll put a little bit of everything on her plate, whereas before it was just roast dinners.
“Yorkshire puddings are lovely but there’s not much good in them. For dinner she’ll eat salad, crusty bread with roast chicken, tacos, there is a big improvement.”
Hypnotherapist David, who runs clinics in Coventry and in London’s Harley Street, said: “Tallulah has been a dream to work with. She has really taken well to the hypnosis, immediately eating interesting and healthy foods, now no longer showing any signs of ARFID with a free eating, varied and balanced diet. I’m honoured to have worked with her.”
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