yuck1Picky eating is frustrating for families. It turns mealtimes into a battle of wills, oppositions and tears.  In typical children, picky eating can be a phase, a developmental chapter that with some supportive encouragement can go away. And before you know it, HALLELUJAH!  All family members are sitting at the same table eating the same meal.  And parents collectively breathe a deep sigh of relief as their children scarf down asparagus and butter chicken.

But what if your child has Autism or sensory processing disorder…..and all the mental health challenges that come along with it? What if their sensory processing disorder and anxiety issues are so great that they physically gag at the sight of food? What SED-in-childrenif kitchen smells send them running into a self-isolating panic attack? What if their OCD means they will only eat certain things at certain meals…foods that have to be prepared the same way EVERY DAY? What if their Oppositional Defiance Disorder makes new food introductions feel impossible for parents? What if they have no issues eating, but all they will try is processed, full of sugar and beige? Clearly these issues are more than a phase that they will just eventually get over.

So why do these kiddies have such a hard time around food?  Well, the answer is their wacky sensory processing.  In typical kids, their senses work together like well oiled machines.  But when you have sensory processing disorder nothing comes into your brain or body in an easy way.  It is a challenging way to live…..when your world is ‘Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight’ (Which is a must read book by Sharon Heller).  I would also add their worlds are – too lumpy, too bumpy, too stinky, too icky.  Picky eating in this case should be called icky eating….they are revolted, physically and mentally by the thoughts of new foods.

Eating actually forces a person to use each and every one of their senses simultaneously.  Making the act of eating one of the most complicated things we expect ASD and sensory processing disordered kids to do.

The folks at The Sensory Processing Foundation wrote this, ‘Eating begins with our eyes as soon as we look at the foods (visual). We then need to explore the foods and touch it with our hands, body and face in order to transport the foods from the plate into our mouths (tactile). As food comes closer to our face we unconsciously explore how it smells (olfactory). Once food is inside our mouth we experience how it tastes (gustatory) and listen to how it sounds (auditory). In addition, we have to use our ‘hidden’ senses to know how much force is needed to chew (proprioception) and to keep our body upright and balanced while we eat or feed ourselves (vestibular)’. Lordy, I’m tired just reading that.  Imagine being challenged by every single step of that long process.  Stop reading for a minute and really imagine it.  Understand now why this is an issue in your house?

When we consider the nepickyeater476x290urological complexity of eating for these kids, is it any wonder they limit their food choices and control every aspect of mealtime.  It is simply too hard for them.  Unfortunately when mealtimes turn into forcing special needs kids to try a new food we actually make the food opposition worse.  Then the battle lines are drawn.  And like all wars, no one ever really wins and the collateral damage is huge.

There is another equally important and challenging cycle at play here – sensory processing disorder, anxiety, OCD, oppositional defiance, sleep, digestion and attention problems actually improve with better nutrition.  So the instinct of parents trying to get food into their kids should be supported.  We should not just accept that our kids will eat less than 10 things, toss in the towel and continue to increase pharmaceuticals to decrease challenging behaviours.  Does this sound like your house?  Nutrition is actually vital to mental health functioning of these kids…years of research backs it up.  We now know –  there can be no mental health without physical health.

So What Now?

How are you going to make changes in your child’s diet and food choices without creating more anxiety and possibly adding to your already busy and stressful special needs family life?

The answers to all of these questions are not easy, but fortunately they are also not impossible.  Lots of children with Autism and sensory processing disorder have learned to eat new foods, but it doesn’t happen without a plan and work. Parents need help from professionals who understand nutrition, children, Autism, ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing disorder and family.

Pivotal Response Therapy (PRT) can be a great family tool. It is a powerful treatment that is a perfect partner for food exposure; PRT is highly motivational, can be used to gradually expose children to new foods, reduce food based anxiety and build on positive skills present in families and children. PRT can open the door to a whole new world of positive nutrition (and life) experiences.

Are you interested?  Want to learn more about the food connection to Autism, anxiety and ADHD?  Feeding Futures has developed a family friendly approach that will end the mealtime battles. Drop us a line and see how Feeding Futures can fill your child’s whole body and life.