Children generally express strong likings for certain kinds of foods. So too children with autism. Often, if not most of the times, these kinds of foods tend to be unhealthy for the children. It turns out to be a task for the parents to make their children switch to healthier, nutritious foods. It is still
easier to turn normal children around and get them to follow better eating habits, but it is not so in the case of special children or children with autism. This is because the parents of the latter do not clearly understand their children’s problems with eating certain kinds of foods.
According to an article published by Child Mind Institute (“Autism and Picky Eating” by Juliann Garey), “Kids on the autism spectrum often express a strong preference for foods that feel a certain way in their mouths. Some prefer soft or creamy foods like yogurt, soup or ice cream; others need the stimulation that crunchy foods like Cheetos or — if a parent is lucky, carrots — provide.”
Some children may be hypersensitive to colour, smell, appearance, temperature and textures, and some to particular tastes. Some prefer eating with fingers and they often find it difficult to eat with spoons. The reasons could be related to their muscle development, their eating patterns or other
sensory issues, which the parents may not have addressed, because they may not have been aware of these issues in the first place. Due to the difficulty in managing all their needs, some parents also tend to fall into the comfort zone of feeding the kids with whatever they like. The parents feel the kids remain at least well-fed by doing so.
However, the fact remains that by leaving these eating challenges unaddressed, the children’s health is compromised. Besides, the problems and the habits get so ingrained that, with time, it would become more and more difficult to resolve and reverse them. Hence, though it is hard to see the children upset – often with episodes of intense anxiety – the problems need to be positively addressed in a timely manner.
Kavin’s Story
Our child at Adarsh, Kavin, had similar issues with eating. However, the persistent efforts of our caregivers have borne fruit. Kavin can now eat independently using a spoon—a milestone that took seven months!
In the beginning, he was extremely selective about food, preferring only biscuits, noodles, bread, and jam. Our first challenge was to break this habit and introduce healthier options. We used multiple strategies to gradually reduce junk food while encouraging him to try new, nutritious meals.
Transitioning to rice was particularly difficult. He outright refused to eat it, often throwing tantrums and crying stubbornly. To ease the process, we started by giving him small rice balls, which he slowly learned to pick up and eat. Over time, his resistance faded, and with continued practice, he began using a spoon confidently.
Seeing him now eat independently fills us with immense pride and joy!