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The eating habits of kids with autism put them at risk for poor nutrition.
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—When parents encounter a picky eater at the table, there are always a few easy tricks they can use to get kids interested in trying new foods—mixing healthy greens into a spaghetti sauce, for instance, cutting up sandwiches into fun shapes, or adding some fruit to their favorite cereal.
But children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may not be so easily plied. "We think that children with autism may respond more negatively to the sensory characteristics of the food, such as texture, smell, temperature and taste," says Linda Bandini, Phd, RD, associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, and the lead author of a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics finding that autistic children tend to be pickier eaters. "It may also be that the tendency for children with autism to prefer sameness may cause them to restrict their diets to foods that are familiar to them." This can make it difficult for parents to get their children to eat a well-rounded, healthy diet, she adds. But there are ways to introduce new foods without adding stress to children with the disorders.
THE DETAILS: The researchers surveyed the parents of 53 children diagnosed with ASDs and 58 typically developing children, all of whom were between the ages of 3 and 11 years old. Parents filled out food frequency questionnaires that listed 131 foods, and were asked to note which foods a child at more than four times per day, which foods a child refused to eat, and which foods children were offered but still refused to eat. The parents were also asked to write down everything their children ate over a three-day period, so the researchers could assess each child's food repertoire. The primary difference the researchers found between children with ASDs and the other children was in the number of foods they refused. On average, parents noted that children with ASDs refused 26 percent of the foods listed on the food frequency questionnaire, compared with 18 percent for typically developing children. Children with ASDs also refused 42 percent of the foods their parents offered them, compared with just 19 percent for typically developing children. Children with ASDs also had a more limited food repertoire than the other group, and although the study didn't find that these children suffered from nutrient deficiencies, a limited food repertoire does put children at risk for them, says Bandini.
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Micheal
Picky eaters and autism
My 9yr old stepson has autism and was a picky eater. Other than literally forcing him to try some things, (which we did) we had to think outside the box a little. His extremely limited palate of frozen pizza, corn chips, bananas, cinnamon oatmeal, apple juice, and Dora yogurt (and ONLY Dora yogurt) did not seem nutrionally sound to me. We started to incorporate the two bite rule. He had to start trying two bites of everything served at the table. One to "try" the food and one "just to check" if he liked/disliked it. If he did that he could have anything to eat he wanted. As we continued this, we started to put more food on his plate than the two bites, now he eats exactly what we eat, no arguments, no fights. If he doesn't like something he still takes his two bites, and its very rare that he just flat out dislikes something, but we did learn that there are some foods that he does not like- he does not like potatoes (mashed, boiled, baked-nothing) so we no longer make him try those. But we have learned things and so has he. Hes learned that if he tries something, he'll get rewarded maybe a dessert choice, sometimes we just tell him how proud we are that he tried something new, but often he just finds something new that he likes. Its almost a game. Don't get me wrong it was not fun in the beginning, we had to institute an egg timer to make sure he ate his meals in a timely manner (decorated with stickers). Some fights, tears, but we stood firm, didn't fall for the drama, and it has worked for us. He will even go to a restaurant and order something. It extended to new kinds of juice. We no longer keep any frozen pizza, corn chips or Dora yogurt in the house. Good Luck.
gfcf
Our son ate muffins and pizza and drank orange juice only for 7 years. At 9 years we started gluten and casein free diet, removed sugar and artificial foods. Now it's been 14months since we did it, and he eats healthy foods only! I cook him various vegetables, something I couldn't dream about before! He eats home made potato chips, soups, boiled meat and whole gluten free cereals.
He got sick with virus lately, and I gave him pints of warm ginger tea with lemon. 14months ago he wouldn't ever take it from me. But now all his oral sensitivities improved.
Picky autistic eater or SOMETHING ELSE???
I only created an account to share something with any parent of an autistic child who may read this looking for help with a "picky," autistic eater... This study left out one very important variable -- FOOD ALLERGIES. I only know this because some friends of mine who have an autistic son just recently discovered he has terrible food allergies to a lot of common foods, like wheat, gluten, dairy, nuts, you-name-it. Since they've had the allergies confirmed and have put him on a new diet, his autism symptoms themselves have actually improved, not to mention his overall health. I don't know what this says, if anything, about the possible link between autism and food allergies, but I believe it's significant! If your child is autistic, get him/her tested for common food allergies, particularly ones to food ingredients found in a lot of things we eat in America! Be blessed.
pickey eaters with autism
I really appreciate this article and am always looking for information about this subject. I have been a worried mom of a child who will only eat certain foods for 13 yrs now. I have tried it all (including bribing and forcing). I have to admit I have almost given up but, not quite. I work on what he will eat and avoid more stress by offering those foods. I have stopped trying to control his eating, and encourage him to make healthier choices. I always offer the fresh fruits and one vegetable that he will eat. I buy V-8 Fusion juice to sneak in extra portions of veggies. I indulge his use of lots of seasoning, fresh garlic, and anything natural with color, hoping he is getting some benefits. I always thought he would out grow his limited repetoire but have begun to question that now. Any other suggestions are always appreciated. Thanks, Tricia