How to Balance an Autism Diet

                

 

There are many autistic children who are very picky eaters and have odd autism diet foibles. This is not just another problem with behavior, though it might seem like it at first. This is often something that happens for simpler reasons, and some of them are correctable.

A child who is not eating enough of the right foods is not getting the nutritional intake they need to remain healthy, and parents must do what they can to establish a more balanced diet.

There are times when there is a medical reason behind the picky eating, and it might mean talking to a doctor about nutrition and how to make sure the right foods are in a child?s diet.

Some children who won?t eat are simply not hungry. Sometimes this is just the way it is, but more often than not, there may be a medication to blame. Some children with autism also have ADHD and they may be on mediations for that purpose. Some of the medications for this condition will suppress appetite, along with others drugs like antibiotics. If this is the suspected problem, there may be alternative medications that can be given that will not have the same affect on the child?s hunger. Talk to your doctor about this.

There are also some autistic children that have very sensitive digestive systems. They may have problems with acid reflux, and this can make eating hard for them.

They may also have problems in the intestines that lead to constipation, loose stools, or gas and bloating. They learn to associate these feelings with eating, and that makes them not want to eat.

In this case, it might just take something as simple as a course of acid reflux medication to get them feeling better and eating more. As a natural alternative you could try ginger to help soothe the system, ask your doctor for more advice.

Sometimes eating is not something a child looks forward to because they have poor motor skills and can?t get the foods into their mouth with ease, and they may have problems with chewing and swallowing. They may gag or choke and they will avoid eating to avoid those things. When that happens, therapy sessions with a oral-motor therapist might be the answer to the child?s eating problems.

Some children simply cannot stand the textures of foods, and they may be hyper sensitive to almost all sensations associated with eating. Finding a way to desensitize the mouth can help, and quite often liquids can be taken in by the use of a straw.

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When parents have concerns, they need to consult with their physician about what they should do first. New medications might be found that will not affect the appetite, and there may be additional medications that can help with an upset digestive system.

There are supplements that a doctor might suggest to restore balance and give important vitamins and minerals. Sometimes little things can help restore a good autism diet to help a child remain healthy and strong, but before giving supplements, it is important to find out how much they should have and how often they should have it.

By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter for more information on autism diet. In the newsletter you'll find out more about the signs and symptoms of autism.