3 Ways to Conquer Mealtime with an Autistic Child

Being the parent of an autistic child, you may have realized that mealtime can be the toughest time of the day. No worries; you are not alone. Many parents who have autistic children run into the same situation. There are different challenges a child might face when it comes to mealtime, and those include but are not limited to:

• Difficulties in expressing their food preferences or their feelings during mealtime due to potential language delays.
• Problems with sensory processing would affect their ability to take in the smells, tastes, sounds, textures, or even colors of certain things in their environment.
• Difficulties with self-regulation of caloric intake. This concern could unintentionally lead to weight loss and malnourishment, as well as weight gain and obesity.

Addressing these challenges often requires careful consideration of a child's diet to ensure it meets their specific nutritional needs and preferences. Now you may be wondering, “Ok, so what can I do about the feeding challenges of autism?” There are many ways to conquer this challenging time of the day, but here are just a few ways that have been proven by experts to be efficient and effective.

Understanding Autism and Nutrition

Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurological condition that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. For parents of autistic children, understanding the role of nutrition is crucial. A healthy diet can significantly alleviate symptoms and enhance overall well-being.

Autistic children often face unique nutritional challenges, such as picky eating, food aversions, and nutritional deficiencies. Addressing these issues with a balanced and nutritious diet can make a world of difference. By ensuring that your child’s diet includes a variety of essential nutrients, you can help them overcome these challenges and support their growth and development.

Autism Mealtime Tips

1. Gradually expose your child to new foods and textures.

Just like autism is a spectrum, so are the different feelings each child feels when it comes to food. Sometimes, a child can express their dislike for a specific food through fear, because that is the only way they know how to communicate it. Some children are afraid of the textures of certain foods, and some fear just the color of those foods. This fear is due to their possible difficulties with sensory processing, as mentioned above. To overcome this obstacle, it is crucial for the parent(s) or caregiver(s) to slowly introduce them to foods that they seem to be afraid of; an effective strategy is to incorporate pureed vegetables (such as zucchini and cauliflower) into smoothies, soups, and sauces to mask their presence and improve children's nutritional intake without altering the familiar textures they prefer.

Take Moira Pena, for example. Pena is an Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) therapist. One of the children she worked with had an extreme fear of touching apples because they looked “wet.” Pena began introducing apples to this child by just having him look at the apple for a few minutes while guaranteeing that he did not have to eat it. After becoming comfortable with that exercise, she then moved on to having him touch the apple, first with a fork, then a napkin, and finally his fingers. All of these small, but essential steps helped him overcome what had once been a real fear in this child’s mind.

2. Reduce anxiety in autistic children that leads up to mealtime.

Depending on whether or not a child has had bad or good experiences with mealtime, they might develop a sense of unease when it’s almost time for a meal. When experiencing this, a child may refuse food due to possible sensory aversions or fear of unfamiliar foods. However, forcing them to eat when they do not seem to want to may inadvertently make the anxiety worse.

There are many different activities parents can do with their children to reduce their anxiety levels before it is time to eat. These can include, but are not limited to:

• Wrapping them up in a blanket.
• Deep breathing exercises for about five minutes - blowing pinwheels or bubbles, or even just slowly and deeply inhaling for a count of four, and then slowly and fully exhaling for a count of seven or eight.
• “Deep pressure tactile exercise” - Pushing hands against a wall or having your child push the palms of their hands against yours (Pena 2015).

3. Creating a Sensory-Friendly Mealtime Environment

Creating a sensory-friendly mealtime environment is essential for autistic children, as they often have sensory sensitivities that can impact their eating habits. Here are some tips to create a sensory-friendly mealtime environment:

• Use a calm and quiet atmosphere during mealtime to help your child feel more at ease.

• Minimize distractions by turning off the TV and putting away electronic devices, allowing your child to focus on their food.

• Maintain a consistent seating arrangement and table setting to provide a sense of stability and predictability.

• Encourage your child to interact with their food, whether it’s by touching, smelling, or even just looking at it, to gradually reduce sensory aversions.

4. Make mealtime a routine.

Because of an autistic child’s difficulty with self-regulation of caloric intake, he or she must know when they should be eating and when they should not be eating. Children with autism often prefer snack foods (such as chips or cookies,) and tend to graze throughout the day instead of sitting down for full meals. This grazing behavior can lead to overeating of low-nutritional foods, prompting advice from experts to gradually reduce snack food intake during mealtimes to promote healthier eating habits.

Children with autism may also have trouble sensing the internal signals of hunger, so they may base it on how long they sit at the dinner table, or just base their hunger on the presence of food in front of them. If they sit too long, the child(ren) may feel as though they have eaten enough, even if they have not, and if they base hunger on the presence of food, the child(ren) may eat something in front of them even if they are not hungry. Making a schedule for snacks and meals and sticking to it is an excellent way for children to realize when they should eat, even if they do not feel hungry, or when they should not eat, even if they think they are hungry.

5. Involving Autistic Children in Meal Planning

Involving autistic children in meal planning can be a game-changer in developing healthy eating habits and reducing picky eating. Here are some ways to involve your child in meal planning:

• Take your child grocery shopping and let them help select healthy foods. This can make them more interested in trying new foods.

• Encourage your child to participate in meal preparation, such as washing vegetables or mixing ingredients. This hands-on experience can make them more comfortable with different foods.

• Offer your child a choice between two or three healthy meal options. Giving them a say in what they eat can reduce resistance to new foods.

• Involve your child in creating a meal plan or shopping list. This can help them feel more in control and invested in their meals.

When working with an autistic child, it is imperative to understand that autism occurs on a spectrum. Not every child will have the same experiences as outlined above, but this blog serves as a foundation of ideas that may be used by the parents of a child on the spectrum who seems to have similar mealtime troubles. 

To learn more about Autism or to see if your child is eligible for the Autism Spectrum Disorder Service Coordination in Pennsylvania, contact ECCM to set up an appointment!

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