Although some Autistic children can be fussy eaters rather than overeaters, you may find that your child has a tendency to snack throughout the day or eat too much during their meals.
Sensory sensitivities: for example, if your child likes soft textures, they might regularly seek out soft foods and eat too much of them. Emotional regulation: for example, your child might eat more food when they're feeling anxious or sad.
Food can be one of life's great comforts. As you point out, eating to self-soothe or for sensory stimulation may be particularly common among those with autism. One contributor may be the stress and anxiety that often accompanies autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Kids with autism may experience a number of different issues with food. They may prefer foods that feel a certain way in their mouth, like crunchy foods or soft foods. Kids who only eat soft foods may have weak jaw muscles that make eating chewier food unpleasant.
Eating problems are common in autistic people.
Issues such as only eating very few foods, not being able to eat at school, going long periods of time without eating and pica (eating non-foods) can feel difficult to understand and manage.
The feeding concern most commonly observed in children with autism is food selectivity, or eating a limited variety of foods. This most often involves preference for starches and snack foods and more frequent rejection of fruits and vegetables.
Such food behaviours can include very limited food preferences, hypersensitivity to food textures or temperatures, and pocketing food without swallowing. A diet could be primarily made up of pasta, bread and chicken nuggets with little desire to try new foods and different textures.
A recent review of scientific studies found that children with autism are five times more likely to have mealtime challenges such as extremely narrow food selections, ritualistic eating behaviors (e.g. no foods can touch) and meal-related tantrums.
Signs of High-Functioning Autism in Children
May appear more mature for their age and have above-average intelligence. A tendency to avoid eye contact. Trouble deviating from a routine or adapting to changes. Trouble making friends and maintaining social relationships or not “fitting in” with peers.
Research also tells us that many individuals with autism tend to have strong preferences for carbohydrates and processed foods, while rejecting fruits and vegetables. This, too, may reflect an aversion to strong tastes and textures.
Some children with autism are sensitive to specific foods such as casein, gluten, artificial sweeteners, and dyes (this is true of children without autism as well). Some children with autism, probably because of picky eating habits, have nutritional deficits that can be alleviated through supplements.
Many autistic people struggle with interoception. This means that they have a difficult time feeling and interpreting their body's signals. This connects with disordered eating behavior because it means they may miss their body's cues that they are hungry or full.
In conclusion, there are many factors that can make autism worse. Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism.
Kids with autism can be extremely selective when it comes to eating. An estimated 46–89% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have feeding problems. ASD children struggle with sensory defensiveness, a need for routine and sameness, and visual overstimulation which makes expanding the palate difficult.
Research in the past several years has shown that children can outgrow a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), once considered a lifelong condition. In a new study, researchers have found that the vast majority of such children still have difficulties that require therapeutic and educational support.
A healthy diet for people with autism means eating foods like grass-fed meat, pasture-raised eggs, organs, and fresh fruit. Make sure to avoid any processed foods with added sugar and vegetable/seed oils completely if you want to thrive. Avoid drinking anything with caffeine or added sugars or artificial sweeteners.
It is common for children with autism to show signs of hyperactivity so limiting sugar can help to balance this out. Also, limiting sugar can help to improve concentration and decrease impulsiveness.
In fact, a recent comprehensive review of research on the subject confirms that children with autism are five times more likely to struggle with eating issues compared to their typically developing peers.
The taste of chicken nuggets is not overwhelming, a characteristic which is welcome to children with sensory issues. Research suggests that “many individuals with autism tend to have strong preferences for carbohydrates and processed foods, while rejecting fruits and vegetables.
Of course, autistic individuals laugh when they are happy, or if they find something funny. However, they often laugh to release fear, tension and anxiety. What is very difficult for their parents to comprehend (and accept) is that they might laugh or giggle non-stop when someone is crying.
Sugar: Since children with autism may show signs of hyperactivity, it may be best to avoid sugar to maintain balanced sugar levels. Monosodium glutamate (MSG): Similar to sugar, MSG can cause overstimulation in the brain, leading to hyperactivity.
Autism is not an illness
It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.