Children with autism are generally picky eaters. They have a tendency to eliminate one food at a time, most probably due to sensory reasons: they don't like a specific smell or taste. This process is gradual, and the trick to feeding a child with autism is awareness. Be on the lookout when your child slowly begins to decline a certain food that he favors previously. At times, he might reject a particular food one day, and does it again the following day. This may mean that he is working toward complete rejection of the food.
The moment you see this happening, begin following the simple steps outlined below. If not, it's very likely that your kid will progress to limiting himself with just a couple of foods, served in a singular way, in a particular place.
It is best if you start feeding him food that is similar to those that other kids eat. For several children, it may be easiest to start feeding him with food that has the same flavor. For instance you can try to give him fresh strawberries if your kid favors strawberry ice cream. Other kids have the tendency to favor texture. In this case, you may give him certain foods with similar texture; for example feeding him corn chips if he likes potato chips.
A lot of parents may be concerned about nutrition. It's okay to give your kid multivitamins. Choose a vitamin that your child particularly likes and tolerates, whether it's liquid, or chewy.
Many children with autism resist the new, and this is the same for food. For you to avoid turning mealtime into a battlefield, it's recommended that you follow simple steps that permit your kid to be successful.
First, place the food in your kid's plate. This is the best way to introduce him to a new food. If the act of doing that result to issues, try placing the food for only a couple of seconds. Don't forget to reward him if he turns out to be successful, it can be in the form of a motivator; like a favored exercise or a small amount of food that he likes, or verbal praise, or a hug.
Next comes a series of additional baby steps. Customize this plan depending on your child's reaction or progress:
Touching food Smelling food Bringing the food to his lips Touching the food with his tongue Tasting food Tasting the food daily for a week
If your kid still rejects the particular food after tasting it daily for a week, it's probably high time to decide not to add the food in your child's menu.
This process is not easy, but don't get intimidated. It may result to frustration leading to a power struggle between you and your kid. Be sure to avoid this by setting your bar of expectation low enough in order for your child to succeed. As your child takes baby steps to triumph, don't forget to shower him with motivation, praise, and rewards, for mealtime to become a fun activity.
Author Resource:-
If you think that there is "something not right" with your child you must find out as soon as possible if autism is the issue. Check out information at Autism Symptoms
You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold Autism Symptoms Affiliates
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