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.
Someone with autism may be sensitive to the taste, smell, color and texture of foods. They may limit or totally avoid some foods and even whole food groups. Dislikes may include strongly flavored foods, fruits and vegetables or certain textures such as slippery or soft foods. Not eating enough food.
Children on the autism spectrum tend to have so many food aversions because of sensory issues. Texture, color, and smell can cause a child on the autism spectrum to turn away from many foods.
Autism often comes with hypersensitivity to textures. So remember that it may be how a food feels in the mouth, rather than its flavor, that produces a food aversion. The squishiness of a fresh tomato is a classic example. Try chopping or blending such foods to smooth out the offending texture.
People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms.
They might have to get their objects out and touch them before bed. Or they might drink only from particular cups, or ask the same questions and always need specific answers. Routines are often important to autistic children and teenagers. They can find change and transitions difficult to cope with.
Challenging behaviors commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) include aggression toward others, self-injurious (or self-harming) behaviors, and severe tantrumming [1,2].
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.
Some autistic children and teenagers have fussy eating or selective eating habits. This means children eat only a limited range of food. If your child has fussy eating habits, it's good to understand why. This can help you manage your child's eating behaviour.
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.
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.
Food: Sensory Seeking Behaviours
They might love strongly-flavoured foods or hot and spicy dishes. They may also drool and dribble excessively. Such a child may also crave foods that are inedible and potentially dangerous, such as stones, dirt or feces. This is known as pica.
Many autistic people experience hypersensitivity to bright lights or certain light wavelengths (e.g., LED or fluorescent lights). Certain sounds, smells, textures and tastes can also be overwhelming. This can result in sensory avoidance – trying to get away from stimuli that most people can easily tune out.
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.
The best food for children with autism are fatty fish, eggs, grass-fed beef, sustainably raised animal proteins, shellfish, beans, nuts, and seeds. Research has found that fatty fish such as salmon and free-range eggs share the healthy omega 3 acid. Foods that contain omega 3s help fight inflammation in the body.
If a child with autism or sensory processing disorder experiences aversions to certain smells and textures, playing with food before actually attempting to eat it can make the food less scary for the child.
Children with autism — and the parents who feed them — often face significant distress around mealtime. In fact, between 50% and 89% of kids with autism have some food selectivity. The end result: They tend to eat far fewer dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains than typical children.
Whilst adults and some children may enjoy trying new and different dishes, autistic children tend to prefer food that is less stimulating. The taste of chicken nuggets is not overwhelming, a characteristic which is welcome to children with sensory issues.
Third, many people affected by autism experience what we call hyperphagia. This is an intense desire to eat that goes beyond true hunger. Given unchecked access to food, someone with hyperphagia may eat almost constantly.
Some more recommended food items that help autism symptoms include: Prebiotic-rich foods (apples, asparagus, leeks, garlic, onions, bananas, and chicory root)
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.
Kids with autism experience “deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to the absence of interest in peers (DSM-5).”
Among those with autism, common triggers include disturbing breaks in routine, lack of sleep, jarring “sensory stimuli” (noises, lights, or smells) or even undiagnosed mental health problems. Clearly, it's important to look beyond the behavior itself to identify the underlying cause.