How to Overcome Picky Eating of Your Autism Child
Parents
of children with Autism Spectrum
Disorder often worry about their child may not be getting the required
nutrients, as most children on the spectrum are picky eaters. In fact, most
parents find mealtime rather challenging. According to the research, it has
been observed that children with ASD are five times more likely to have
mealtime challenges such as extreme food selectivity, tantrums, and ritualistic
eating behaviors.
In
this blog, we will discuss how parents can overcome this issue by following
simple strategies at home.
Do Not Neglect Medical Problems
Children
with Autism Spectrum Disorder may refuse to eat particular food items. Since
many children on the spectrum find it difficult to express their emotions, we
recommend parents look out for nonverbal cues in their children. For example,
your child may clamp their lips when you’re trying to feed them.
Gastrointestinal distress is one of the common problems
in children with ASD. It is advisable that parents to visit Best
Autism Treatment Centre in Hulimavu, Bangalore where doctors can help them to
create a diet plan for their child.
Stay Composed
Get
creative with introducing new food items to your child by following the
procedure given by your child's doctor. Make a list of food items that your
child would like and introduce them at regular intervals. Many children on the
spectrum need to taste a certain food item multiple times before they develop a
liking for it. However, if your child refuses particular food items, even after
trying several times, it may mean they don’t like it.
Try New Recipes
Give
your child the freedom to try new recipes. When they get a chance to explore
food items by touching and smelling, they also get a sense of what the food
item may taste like. We recommend parents add their child's favorite food to
other food items that they’d like their child to eat.
Pay Attention to Feel Of the Food, Not the Flavor
Sometimes,
what matters more to children with
ASD is how the food feels in their mouth even more than how it tastes.
Hence, textures, color, etc. of the food item matter. For instance, if your
child likes strawberries, you can blend them into a smoothie or chop it and add
to their favorite food and allow your child to consume food in a texture they
prefer.
Get Creative with Food Items
To
ensure that mealtime is pleasant, do not overwhelm or cause anxiety in children
with ASD by putting out too many food items. We recommend parents convert
vegetables and fruits into interesting geometrical shapes to make the entire
experience of eating more appealing to their children. While cutting the
vegetable, parents can taste that particular item and make it obvious to their
child that they are enjoying it this helps children realize that they too can
enjoy it.
Let Your Child Decide What to Eat
We
understand that parents
of children with ASD are worried about their child not getting
essentials vitamins and protein intake due to their food choices. As discussed
earlier, we recommend parents prepare a diet chart to keep a track of their
daily protein and essential vitamin intake. For instance, your child’s doctor
may suggest your child needs 3 servings of vegetables and 5g of protein per
day. By following the diet chart, you can allow your child to choose various vegetables
of their preference that meet the overall daily target rather than force her to
eat one vegetable.
For
more information regarding sensory Integration therapy, cognitive skills,
behavior therapy, developmental disorders, and early intervention, please
contact Best Autism Treatment Centre in Hulimavu, Bangalore at CAPAAR Center.
We put emphasis on acquiring new and appropriate behaviors, while we also
working on helping the child to achieve developmentally age appropriate
milestones through evidence based practices.
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