19 APRIL 2022
As a parent, we know the challenges of having to navigate mealtimes with your child. While picky eating is a natural phase in childhood, some of our neurodivergent children will have challenges with food that persist. In this article, we outline the most common reasons children with ADHD or autism may have ongoing challenges around food or mealtimes.
Physical / organic reasons
Issues such as stomach pain, constipation, tooth decay etc. can all impact eating. Children with ADHD and ASD will experience the same physical conditions and childhood illnesses as other children, but due to sensory, cognitive and executive functioning challenges, may not be able to recognise or articulate their discomfort
Irregular / impulsive eating patterns
Challenges with executive functioning may mean that children with ADHD or ASD miss mealtimes and skip meals. Inattentive type ADHD characteristics are often associated with decreased awareness of hunger and fulness signals.
Food choices
Often the foods chosen by children who experience irregular or impulsive eating patterns are those lower in nutritional value, such as sweets and snacks and highly processed foods. This may have an impact on energy levels, fatigue, poor concentration and weight, as well as negatively impacting overall general health.
Sensory food aversion
Children with ASD often have challenges with sensory stimuli around foods. This may be about how a food looks, tastes, smells or feels. Some children seek out sensory input through foods, for example, eating crunchy foods like carrots or crackers, whilst others may prefer lower sensory inputs and may always opt for smooth foods like yoghurt. Sensory challenges can lead to mealtime anxieties and fearing food.
What to expect
Mealtimes can be confusing times with some children unsure of what will happen and what is expected of them, for example, where they sit, what food will be presented, how much they need to eat, when will they know mealtime is over.