Feeding a child with autism can present unique challenges, especially when they have food aversions, sensory sensitivities, or a limited diet. Ensuring they get the nutrients they need is crucial for their overall well-being and cognitive development. Picky eating in children with autism can often result in nutrient deficiencies, leading to a range of issues such as low energy, poor concentration, or even gastrointestinal problems. However, with the right approach, you can gradually encourage your child to explore new foods and increase their nutrient intake. Here are five actionable steps to take today to help your picky eater with autism add more nutrients to their diet, plus a delicious recipe to get started.
Read MoreAmong the various essential nutrients, zinc stands out as a crucial element in supporting the well-being of children with autism and ADHD. Zinc is crucial for many factors and functions of the body and can have an impact on the immune system, sensory changes, appetite regulation, various challenges often encountered by individuals with autism and ADHD.
Read MoreFor parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or those dealing with picky eaters, mealtime can be a daily struggle. Nutritional concerns coupled with limited food preferences can make it challenging to ensure a balanced diet. Enter food chaining – an innovative and systematic approach to expanding a child's palate.
Read MoreAvoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a relatively lesser-known eating disorder that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. While ARFID can affect people of all ages, there is a notable association between ARFID and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Read MoreOne crucial aspect of early nutrition involves introducing babies to whole, organic fruits and vegetables, such as avocado, sweet potato, banana, and quinoa. It is important to steer clear of processed foods during this crucial stage of development. Processed foods early on can lead to picky eating and set up for frequent illness. Proper nutrition can have a huge impact on neurological health and proper development and can even have an iinfluence in progression of autism and ADHD.
Read MoreEmbarking on a journey with a sensory-sensitive child who is also a picky eater can present unique challenges for parents. Trying to stick to a clean eating, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free dietary requirements while keeping sensory considerations in mind while traveling can be quite challenging!
Read MorePicky eating is a common challenge many parents face when it comes to feeding their children. Dealing with a limited range of food preferences can lead to concerns about nutrient deficiencies and overall health. However, with the right strategies, it is possible to address picky eating effectively.
Read MoreFor many parents, getting their children to eat vegetables can be a challenging task. But for the millions of parents raising children with autism, the challenge can be significantly harder due to sensory and health issues associated with the disorder. Eating nutritious meals is key for proper growth development, but experts say that it can take children on the spectrum longer to learn how to accept new foods and flavors. Read on for some tips and suggestions on how to encourage better nutrition in these young ones despite the difficulty they may face when it comes to mealtime.
Read MoreWhen it comes to establishing healthy eating habits for kids, the key is to start early. Children are learning about healthy eating habits at a very young age. The earlier a child learns, the more likely they are to make healthy food choices later in life. This makes it crucial that you take time to teach them the importance of eating healthy as well as teach them how to make healthy food choices. The earlier you do, the better off they'll be.
Read MorePicky eating is an umbrella term used for a spectrum of food refusal behaviors and is something that many families struggle with at some point in their child’s life, even with our non-fussy eaters. Helping picky eaters find confidence and comfort with trying new foods is challenging, and sometimes frustrating. Read further for 5 tips to help your picky eater be more comfortable at mealtime.
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