Many of our children with autism have significant problems with eating. They may experience some of the following problems:
- eating only a preferred texture of foods
- eating only a preferred flavour of foods
- pica - eating inedible items and substances
- overeating
- not eating enough
- not liking the smells associated with foods
- not being able to accept the social aspects of eating
Over the next few weeks, our autism blog will explore some of these issues and suggest a few hints and tips.
The important thing is to keep trying! The root of many of the problems can stem from sensory differences so a de-sensitisation approach can be useful but there are often complex circumstances that contribute to difficulties with eating.
The National Autism Society provides a useful introduction on their page