Parents in our position can be faced with a number of challenges, but trying to get our heads around why an autistic child won’t eat is one of the most difficult.

In this article we delve into the problem and give you some suggestions in what you can do.

Autism and not eating

One of the challenges that parents of autistic kids face is getting their child to eat properly. The problems range from only eating a particular food to in these circumstances not eating generally.

Half the battle for us parents is working out why it may be the case.

Us neuro-typical people usually love food and trying different tastes, what is so different with autistic children?

Sensory factors

Many autistic children have difficulty with sensory processing, which can make eating an unpleasant experience for them.

Autistic children often have heightened sensitivity to different textures, tastes, and smells.

The texture particularly of certain foods may be unpleasant to them. Or it could even be that the smell may be overpowering.

It is not just textures or tastes.

Some children may be very sensitive to the temperature of their food, and may only want to eat food that is very hot or very cold.

Some autistic people have also reported not feeling hunger and indeed thirst quite as prevalently as the neuro-typical.

What parents can do

It is important to understand that an autistic child who doesn’t seem to want to eat is not doing so out of defiance or a desire to be difficult.

It is way more likely that it is due to a variety of factors that are related to their autism.

With that said it is entirely natural for parents to want to improve the situation.

The first thing we would recommend would be for parents to really understand their child’s specific preferences.

It may be for example that you haven’t realised that temperature of foods may be a factor.

We’d recommend you embark on a period of structured trial and error.

It is likely that you have tried multiple foods but trying variations of each may bring success.

An example

If we took something as simple as a chicken nugget.

Well you could try leaving them in the oven until they are really crispy. Or you could try cooking them then refrigerating them until cold.

You could also try different brands to see if there is one your child latches onto.

Its the variations of the food types which may help you make progress.

You could even do something as drastic as mixing food colouring into liquidised meals if they have a particular colour preference.

What about routines?

Another reason why an autistic child may not want to eat is because of a lack of routine or structure.

It is quite well known that autistic kids thrive on routine and predictability, and changes to their routine can be very upsetting.

If a child is used to eating at a certain time or in a certain place, they may become upset if that routine is disrupted.

If you find success with your child eating at a specific time or in a specific place you can try and replicate that daily.

Other sensory factors

Of course with autistic children it is not just sensory issues related to their noses and mouths which may be in play.

It could be that your child doesn’t like to eat if there are bright lights of loud sounds nearby.

You could try providing your child with headphones or dimming the lights at mealtimes.

Summary – Why an autistic child won’t eat

An autistic child who doesn’t seem to want to eat is not being difficult or defiant.

Rather, it may be due to a variety of factors related to their autism, such as sensory issues, lack of routine, or anxiety.

With patience and persistence, it is possible to help an autistic child develop a healthy and positive relationship with food.