Addressing Selective Eating in Children with Autism
Selective eating, often referred to as picky eating, is a common behavior among children with autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing disorders. Children with autism can be particularly challenging to feed, exhibiting preferences for specific textures, flavors, or food appearances. While they may limit their food choices, it’s rare for them to starve themselves. This behavior is not exclusive to autism but is also observed in typically developing children.
Helping children with autism overcome picky eating involves understanding the underlying causes, which can include sensory sensitivities, difficulties with chewing or swallowing, or negative past experiences with food. These factors contribute to their inflexible eating habits, making them less adaptable compared to their peers.
Tips To Solve Picky Eating
The key to success lies in addressing their fear of new foods and experiences. Whether due to sensory sensitivities or other reasons, similar strategies can help picky eaters become more flexible and open to trying new foods.
Here are effective strategies to consider:
1. Enjoy Meals Together
Focus on the opportunity to share a meal together as a family. Avoid pressuring anyone to eat, eat more of something specific, or avoid certain foods. When your child tries something new, don’t make a big fuss. Mealtime should be enjoyable, with children eating because they’re hungry and enjoy the food. Encourage eating and drinking only at the table to create positive associations. Remember, it’s important that eating is about satisfying your child, not imposing your preferences. Strategies like rewards, praise, or negotiations can sometimes backfire.
- Focus on family time, not food pressure.
- Encourage eating because they’re hungry, not for rewards.
2. Don't Pressure
 “Mealtime should be a time of family enjoyment.”Â
To achieve this, it’s crucial to steer clear of conflicts at the dinner table regarding what or how much each person eats.
- Avoid power struggles at the table.
- Introduce new foods gradually and frequently.
3. Let Hunger Drive Mealtime Decisions
We typically suggest five eating times within a 24-hour period, which consist of three regular meals and two snacks. Adding more eating times is acceptable as long as they follow a consistent schedule and guidelines. It’s important to discourage eating at any time your child feels like it, particularly if they tend to graze throughout the day. By maintaining a structured routine with regular meal and snack times, your child won’t have to wait excessively long between opportunities to eat.
- Stick to a regular meal and snack schedule.
- Avoid between-meal grazing.
4. Use Time and Familiarity
Take your time introducing new foods one at a time, starting with options similar to what your child already enjoys.
- Introduce one new food at a time, similar to favorites.
- Be patient with new food acceptance.
5. Consider Supplments
Children with autism often experience deficiencies in vital vitamins and nutrients due to poor diet.
- Supplements offer essential vitamins and nutrients that may be lacking in a limited diet.
- They can help fill nutritional gaps caused by selective eating habits.
- Specialized supplements cater to the specific needs of children on the autism spectrum.
6. Common Favorites For Picky Eaters
Picky eaters often prefer a specific set of foods, similar to those offered at typical fast food restaurants catering to children. They tend to avoid many foods enjoyed by the rest of the family, sometimes finding certain foods so unappealing that they gag at the smell. Picky eating can also involve rigid rules, such as foods not touching or needing specific plates, cups, or dining locations (like only eating McDonald’s fries). This behavior likely has a psychological component. Here is a list of common favorites among our picky eaters:
- Plain pizza or pepperoni
- Peanut butter (maybe jelly)
- Macaroni and cheese
- Potato chips
- French fries or tater tots
- Chicken nuggets or tenders
- Plain hamburgers
- Plain hotdogsÂ
By implementing these strategies with patience and consistency, you can support your child in expanding their food choices and making mealtimes more enjoyable for the entire family.
- Keep mealtimes positive, structured, and focused on enjoyment rather than food pressure.
- Gradually introduce new foods without overwhelming your child.
- Encourage sensory exploration and play before meals to help increase food acceptance.