Practical Considerations for School Nurses in Improving the Nutrition of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 296-302
Author(s):  
Constance E. McIntosh ◽  
Jayanthi Kandiah ◽  
Naomi Rachel Boucher
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
Sensory Sensitivity ◽  
Financial Status

Children with autism spectrum disorder may exhibit issues with food selectivity and/or picky eating habits. Symptoms of autism such as sensory sensitivity contribute to why these children refuse to eat food, but medications, food intolerance, and even financial status can cause this issue to become concerning to a student’s overall health. School nurses are imperative in the health care of children with autism spectrum disorder and must understand why food selectivity occurs in order to maintain or improve the nutrition status of their students. This article provides an overview of food selectivity and where it stems from as well as 10 tips in working with food selective children.

scholarly journals Sensory Sensitivity and Food Selectivity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 583-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liem T. Chistol ◽  
Linda G. Bandini ◽  
Aviva Must ◽  
Sarah Phillips ◽  
Sharon A. Cermak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sensory Sensitivity

scholarly journals The Role of Occupational Therapy in Managing Food Selectivity of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1024
Author(s):  
Laura Reche-Olmedo ◽  
Laura Torres-Collado ◽  
Laura María Compañ-Gabucio ◽  
Manuela Garcia-de-la-Hera
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Journal Citation Reports ◽  
Children With Asd

Food selectivity is common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It can be defined as the unwillingness to eat common or new foods, resulting in a lack of variety in the diet or limited food consumption for multiple reasons, such as inflexibility or sensory alterations. We conducted a peer scoping review to describe the interventions that are carried out from occupational therapy (OT) in children with ASD with food selectivity. Two authors independently searched the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE, as well as the OT journals indexed in Journal Citation Reports. Articles exploring OT interventions in children (≤12 years) with ASD and food selectivity, published in Spanish or English, with experimental design, and with full text available were included. Of the 1445 articles identified, 8 articles met the inclusion criteria. Three main intervention categories were identified: sensory–behavioral, family focused, and other interventions. Most of the interventions from OT were aimed at treating sensory–behavioral aspects. Only three articles described interventions led exclusively by occupational therapists, and the rest were led by a multidisciplinary team. Finally, although these interventions are not exclusive to OT, occupational therapists can participate together with other professionals as an essential component in the treatment of food selectivity in children with ASD.

scholarly journals Changes in Food Selectivity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 439-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda G. Bandini ◽  
Carol Curtin ◽  
Sarah Phillips ◽  
Sarah E. Anderson ◽  
Melissa Maslin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Spectrum Disorder

scholarly journals Targeted Nutritional and Behavioral Feeding Intervention for a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Barnhill ◽  
Amanda Tami ◽  
Claire Schutte ◽  
Laura Hewitson ◽  
Melissa L. Olive
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Nutritional Intervention ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
Food Allergies ◽  
Food Aversion ◽  
Feeding Activities ◽  
Food And Feeding

A variety of feeding issues and concerns, including food aversion, food selectivity, and complete food refusal, are not uncommon among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Other underlying issues are often comorbid with the concerns for feeding and ASD. These may include food allergies, gastrointestinal issues, oral motor issues, and swallowing disorders. The refusal to consume particular foods coupled with the inability to tolerate, digest, and absorb these foods can compromise an individual’s overall nutrition status. Therefore, a child’s behavior toward food and feeding activities has great impact on dietary intake, nutritional status, and growth. This case report is the first to document combined medical, behavioral, and nutritional intervention for a toddler with ASD and comorbid feeding disorder.

Increased emotional eating behaviors in children with autism: Sex differences and links with dietary variety

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132094208
Author(s):  
Gregory L Wallace ◽  
Emily Richard ◽  
Alexandra Wolff ◽  
Monica Nadeau ◽  
Nancy Zucker
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Emotional Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children

Although food selectivity and so-called “picky” eating are well documented in autism spectrum disorder, emotion-linked eating has rarely been investigated. This study examined emotion-linked over- and under-eating based on parent ratings of these behaviors in 4- to 17-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 190) as compared to same-age typically developing children ( n = 119). Children with autism spectrum disorder were rated as exhibiting both more emotional over-eating and more emotional under-eating behaviors than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, while sex differences in these emotional eating behaviors were not observed in the typically developing children, girls with autism spectrum disorder were rated as experiencing more emotional over-eating behaviors than boys with autism spectrum disorder. Finally, among all children with autism spectrum disorder, emotional over-eating was linked with increased consumption of sweet foods and decreased consumption of vegetables. These findings have implications for better understanding eating habits in children with autism spectrum disorder and suggest that emotional eating behaviors might have both immediate and downstream health impacts. Lay abstract Although “picky” eating is well documented in autism spectrum disorder, emotional eating has rarely been investigated. This study examined emotional over- and under-eating based on parent ratings of these behaviors in 4- to 17-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 190) as compared to same-age typically developing children ( n = 119). Children with autism spectrum disorder were rated as exhibiting both more emotional over-eating and more emotional under-eating behaviors than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, while sex differences in these emotional eating behaviors were not observed in the typically developing children, girls with autism spectrum disorder were rated as experiencing more emotional over-eating behaviors than boys with autism spectrum disorder. Finally, among all children with autism spectrum disorder, emotional over-eating was linked with increased consumption of sweet foods and decreased consumption of vegetables. These findings have implications for better understanding eating habits in children with autism spectrum disorder and suggest that emotional eating behaviors might have both immediate and downstream health impacts.

scholarly journals Clinical differences in children with autism spectrum disorder with and without food selectivity

Appetite ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 126-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Postorino ◽  
Veronica Sanges ◽  
Giulia Giovagnoli ◽  
Laura Maria Fatta ◽  
Lavinia De Peppo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Food Selectivity ◽  
Spectrum Disorder
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