Autism and Eating: 8 Tips to Help a Picky Eater with Autism
Autism and eating is a hot topic among parents with a child on the autism spectrum.
And with good reason.
While fussy eating is common amidst many children, having a picky eater with autism tin can be much more farthermost. Some kids with ASD have gastrointestinal bug they tin can't verbalize, others have stiff nutrient texture issues, some have sensory eating issues regarding certain tastes and smells, and yet others have rituals around food that make information technology impossible for them to swallow anything that'southward not a certain colour, make, food group, etc.
Whatever the reason for your child'southward picky eating, it tin can be extremely frustrating and challenging, not to mention worrying, just I'chiliad hither to tell you there'southward hope.
In that location are things you can practise to assistance a picky eater with autism.
Will these strategies work overnight?
Probably not.
But I'm a big believer in the thought that practiced things come to those who work hard and persevere, and feel the long-term success far outweighs the short-term pains when information technology comes to figuring out the autism and eating puzzle as it relates to your individual child.
Here are eight tips to help a picky eater with autism
i. Focus on textures your child likes. If your child is a picky eater due to sensory issues, utilize that to your advantage. If she prefers crunchy foods over soft textures, focus on finding good for you options that appeal to her, similar celery, carrot sticks, well-baked apples, and granola confined. Notwithstanding struggling? Get creative! Pop some blueberries, strawberries, and assistant slices in the freezer overnight, add Grape-Nuts Cereal to Greek yogurt, endeavor Martha Stewart's Cornflake-Crusted Baked Craven recipe…yous get the thought.
ii. Relinquish the control. A great strategy to assist a picky eater with autism is to offer more control. Accept your child grocery shopping with yous, go her involved in the kitchen, and give her choices when dishing upwardly meals. The trick is to find a expert residue. You desire your child to feel every bit though she has a pick in what she eats, but you still want to ensure she is eating a healthy and nutritious diet. Instead of giving her the choice between vegetables and cookies, offering her 3 choices within the same food group: carrots, peas, or green beans?
iii. Limit snacks and drinks between meals. If autism and eating get paw-in-manus in your household, ensuring your child is hungry at mealtimes can get a long manner in getting her to try new things, so try and limit snacks and drinks. Only be conscientious not to become too long between meals as extreme hunger can have a negative bear on on a child's behavior, making her even less probable to try new foods!
4. Always offer something your child likes. Creating a meal that is completely devoid of foods your child will eat is a recipe disaster. A better strategy is to offer 3 foods she likes and 1 or 2 things y'all'd like her to endeavour without any expectations fastened. The less threatened she feels, the better.
5. Never give up! An occupational therapist in one case told me it can take up to 10 exposures to a new taste to determine if you lot like or dislike it, so even if your little one refuses green beans the kickoff iii times you offer them, keep trying. And then try again!
6. Appeal to your child'due south senses. I read a fabulous article not too long ago that was written past a boy who struggles with autism and eating, and he said that food smells can brand a huge difference in whether or not he'll try a new food. And if you remember about it, this makes total sense! How many times has your stomach growled in response to the smells coming from a local restaurant or something your neighbor is cooking? And how ofttimes have you smelled something unappealing that made you plug your nose in disgust? Even if your kid doesn't savour helping out in the kitchen, brand sure she's in shut proximity when you're cooking things you feel will tempt her appetite. She may surprise y'all!
7. Write a social story. Created by Carol Greyness, Social Stories are written descriptions of everyday situations and events told from a child'south perspective. The intention behind Social Stories is to give a child something to rehearse so she's prepared one time the situation described actually takes place. This can exist an splendid tool to help encourage a picky eater with autism to try new foods. Here are 21 templates and apps to help you easily write a Social Story for your child.
8. Remain positive. As frustrating equally the earth of autism and eating is, retrieve to stay at-home and remain positive. While it may seem like your little one is deliberately trying to break your spirit at mealtimes, residual assured that the situation is more stressful for her than information technology is for you, especially if she has nutrient texture issues and/or sensory eating issues. Take a deep breath, slap a smile on your confront, and focus on your child's wins, no matter how minor they might be.
If none of these strategies work, I strongly propose seeking the aid of a professional person. Speak to your doctor to rule out medical challenges, and set up-upward a meeting with an occupational therapist who has experience with autism and eating for boosted support options.
Existence the parent of a picky eater with autism can exist very challenging, particularly when you're already hanging onto your sanity for dear life, simply my hope is that this collection of tips will give you some practical ideas to aid brand mealtimes less stressful.
And if your child continues to be a picky eater no affair what you exercise, remember these words:
Autism doesn't come with a manual.
Information technology comes with a parent who never gives upwards.
I take no idea who commencement idea to string those words together, but they are and then very, very true!
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Source: https://www.merakilane.com/autism-eating-8-tips-help-picky-eater-autism/
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