It is common for children with autism to have eating challenges. These challenges can include:
- Avoiding certain foods
- Being irritable during meals
- Eating only a few favorite foods
- Refusing to try new foods
This can make it challenging to ensure your child is eating a healthy range of foods and can cause stress surrounding food and mealtime.
![1 Food Strategies for Autism](https://handprintstherapies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1-Food-Strategies-for-Autism.png)
Children with feeding challenges have milder barriers and can be classified as “picky eaters.” If they have more severe challenges, they are classified as “problem feeders.” Regardless of your child’s severity of feeding barriers, their problems are often rooted in a sensory challenge, oral motor challenge, or both. Children with sensory sensitivities to foods have an over or under-response to visual appearance, texture, smell, and taste. Keep this in mind as you work with your child to improve eating habits.
Below are tips on gently introducing new foods to your child with sensory sensitivities and making mealtime a less stressful experience. These steps can be effective for any child with food challenges!
Unsure of where to start? Need a little support? Contact us!
Post by Lily Vesel