Sensory issues with food: Kids on the autism spectrum often express a strong preference for foods that feel a certain way in their mouths. Some prefer soft or creamy foods like yogurt, soup or ice cream; others need the stimulation that crunchy foods like Cheetos or — if a parent is lucky, carrots — provide.
This is a common characteristic for many on the spectrum. It was challenging for me, as it is for many children, to understand I wanted food when I felt hungry. Other children sometimes will want to eat but don't know when they will be full.
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.
Some more recommended food items that help autism symptoms include: Prebiotic-rich foods (apples, asparagus, leeks, garlic, onions, bananas, and chicory root) Probiotic-rich foods (yogurt, kefir, and cultured vegetables like kimchi)
Sensory issues: Children with autism often have strong preferences for certain textures and temperatures. Some kids prefer soft, creamy foods like purees or even baby food. Others need the extra stimulation of crunchy foods. In every case, sensory preferences can limit what kids are willing to eat.
fruits such as apples, avocados, blueberries, kiwi fruit, grapes, plums, strawberries, vegetables such as cauliflower, cucumber, mushrooms, radish, eggplant, spinach, tomato, broccoli. nuts such as peanuts, pistachios, almonds.
Dairy (casein)
Children with autism (ASD) are much more likely to have a food intolerance to dairy than their peers. This mild allergy could explain why many parents have reported positive changes to their child's autism symptoms -including improved behavior - after eliminating dairy. Your child actually feels better.
Aggravation of some of the symptoms of autism has been suggested to be linked to some of the constituents of milk, in particular a natural breakdown product of the milk protein called beta-casomorphin 1-7 (BC 1-7) found in the majority of dairy products.
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.
Some autistic children might graze all day, and some might eat too much at meals. If your child has overeating habits, it's good to work out why. This can help you manage your child's eating behaviour. Some children eat more because their medicine increases their appetite.
Autistic children often enjoy sensory toys because they help them feel calm and engage their senses in a positive way. Sensory toys can include weighted stuffed animals, fidget toys, and putty. When looking for a toy for an autistic child, keep in mind their interests and their developmental stage.
Camel milk is a promising intervention for individuals with autism. It is rich in nutrients, low in lactose, and contains beneficial compounds that can help reduce symptoms of autism.
Good Foods for Autism
We recommend including the following foods in your child's diet: High quality proteins such as pastured chicken and eggs, grass-fed beef, and wild-caught salmon.
Like Isaiah, some children with autism may be selective with the color of the food, eating only yellow or white foods such as rice, potatoes and pasta. Others may prefer a particular texture—some may like smooth foods while others may eat only crunchy foods3.
90-95% of the autism diet should include:
Vegetables – no white potato and minimize sweet potato.
Many children who have autism experience great anxiety as mealtime approaches. The underlying reasons can include sensory aversions and fear of unfamiliar foods. Inadvertently, families can make the anxiety worse by trying to force a child to eat, setting up a pattern of mealtime stress.
While there is no “best autism diet,” there are certainly foods that can help improve your child's autism symptoms and overall health. The best food for children with autism are fatty fish, eggs, grass-fed beef, sustainably raised animal proteins, shellfish, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Technology can help kids with autism improve verbal skills, social skills, and behavior. Through the use of educational apps and computer games and programs, kids can increase their focus, get rewarded for good behavior, learn new skills, and have fun doing it.
Getting your child to sleep
Kiwi, which is very high in sleep-enhancing vitamin C, is rich in serotonin which the body converts to melatonin. Tart cherry juice is another excellent choice for promoting sleep. It actually contains melatonin and also blocks an enzyme that breaks down tryptophan.