Autism: Feeding Issues and Picky Eaters

[An excerpt from The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism]

Having your child diagnosed with autism can be overwhelming. Adding to an already challenging parenting experience is that children with autism are often very picky eaters or have eating issues -- yet many of those children's parents aren’t aware that they may face this struggle. Having your child refuse to eat any foods that are not white and soft in consistency can be maddening, but as a speech therapist and parent I’ve found that having a clear understanding of why a child self-limits their diet goes far in managing and coping with this often trying behavior.

Eating is a multi-sensory experience. Each mouthful brings the possibility of a variety of flavors, textures and temperatures. A feeding specialist would break this down further, identifying "Flavors" including sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter and neutral; "Textures" including crunchy, chewy, soft, mixed, puree, thick liquids, and thin liquids; and "Temperatures" including cold, room temperature, warm, and hot. In addition, we experience food odors, and often the way they feel in our hands. Many children who are picky or problem eaters may have...

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