Children and Food Rigidity

Motivating children to eat a nutritious meal has always been a challenge. Often, we will see our children eat foods with crunchy textures, purees, or sometimes just the same food repeatedly. It is understandable that this might be a cause for concern, but at the same time, what can we do if they refuse to eat? An article from Autismspeaks.org had created some tips to make eating a little easier. (See the chart in this article below.)

Mealtime should not be paired with anything aversive. Creating opportunities to help our children eat or discover new food should be a pleasant experience. Every child is different, so we might need to bring out our creative side to make mealtime more appealing. Create a reinforcement system for the children when they try new food or if they even taste a new food group. Texture might be an issue for some children, so a slow introduction will help them get used to something new. Avoid forcing food on children by withholding preferred items/activities or even food if they have not tried the novel food that is presented. Unfortunately, this might cause children to avoid the new food because they might accidentally pair it with something aversive. Instead, slowly desensitize them to the new food by getting them used to seeing it, touching it, eventually licking it, and finally eating it.

We must also remember that each child has different needs and sensitivities. Some children may respond quickly to new foods, textures, and tastes, while others will take more time to get acquainted with their new food, new experiences, and new expectations. If you need to implement an individualized, nutritious food plan for your child, your clinical (ABA) team can work with you to address any behavioral challenges that might be impacting your child’s progress. If you suspect your child may have a medical problem impacting his/her food consumption, work with your primary care physician and a feeding specialist to ensure you are supporting the child’s nutrition needs appropriately. It’s a challenge for every parent to make sure that children are getting all the nutrients that they need, but always remember you have an entire team supporting you every step of the way.

Resources:

Baxter, B., Bellando, J., Pulliam, L., Powell, P., Srivorakiat, L., & Bling, N. (2014, January). Parent’s guide to feeding behavior in children with autism. Autism Speaks. https://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/Exploring%20Feeding%20Behavior.pdf