Mealtime problems in children with autism spectrum disorder and their typically developing siblings: a comparison study.
Kids with autism have triple the mealtime problems of their own siblings—screen every child with autism for feeding issues.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers compared the kids with autism to their own typically developing brothers and sisters. the same family.
They counted every mealtime problem during regular dinners at home.
Parents filled out a checklist that listed 18 possible feeding issues.
What they found
Kids with autism averaged 13 mealtime problems. Their siblings averaged only 5.
The biggest gap was food variety. Many autistic children ate fewer than 10 different foods.
Younger children in both groups had more trouble than older children.
How this fits with other research
Chin Wong et al. (2017) found similar top concerns in Chinese-American families. Crunchy-food preference and food refusal showed up again.
Siddiqi et al. (2019) looked at Indian children with autism. They also saw low fruit and vegetable intake. This pattern crosses cultures.
Burkett et al. (2022) adds a new layer. Mothers of preschoolers with autism feel high stress at mealtimes. The child’s feeding issues affect the whole family.
ALee et al. (2022) offers hope. Positive reinforcement reduced food selectivity in non-verbal autistic children. Problems are common, but they can be treated.
Why it matters
Every child with autism needs a quick feeding screen. Ask parents what the child actually eats in a week. If the list is short, start a food expansion plan right away. Track progress weekly. Siblings can serve as peer models during meals.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have mealtime problems. Diagnosis and the social environment may influence eating behaviours. We examined whether children with ASD have more mealtime problems than their typically developing siblings, and whether age and sex are associated with mealtime problems. Forty-eight families participated in this cross sectional study by completing a questionnaire (Eating Profile) for their child with ASD, 3 to 12 years of age. A second Eating Profile was completed for the sibling nearest in age without ASD. Children with ASD had a mean of 13.3 eating problems, with lack of food variety predominating. Siblings had 5.0 problems. Children with ASD had more eating problems as infants. Older children tended to have fewer problems than younger children. This study points to the importance of screening for mealtime problems. Children with ASD had significantly more mealtime problems than their sibling living in the same social environment.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2011 · doi:10.1177/1362361309348943