Food Texture Hypersensitivity In Children With Autism

When the server brought the risotto to my table, I was salivating in anticipation. The texture was disgusting. I was not impressed by the taste or smell. I was so disappointed that I dropped my fork. Risotto is normally my favourite dish.

Risotto should be rich, creamy and have a slight texture. It was like someone had put gravy on top of regular rice, which was undercooked. Yuck!

Have you ever experienced this? Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which are caused by food texture hypersensitivity can cause your child to experience this every day.

They may be adventurous eaters, but their dislike of the taste and texture of the food can make them less so. Food aversions can be a devastating blow to the heart of those who are affected.

I’d like to talk about hypersensitivity to food texture, how it affects autistic children, and what parents can do to help.

What Is Food Hypersensitivity?

Food texture hypersensitivity occurs when a child’s sensitivity to food texture causes them to restrict their diet. Picky eaters are children who have food aversions or refuse to eat certain foods or food groups.

A “picky eater” can experience anxiety when faced with new foods. It is even more important if parents’ handling of their picky eaters’ behaviour exacerbates the problem.

Parents need to be aware of their child’s food preferences and sensory sensitivities. They should also understand why they may experience food aversions. You must treat food refusals and feeding issues with the utmost kindness and care. Hard methods only make matters worse.

What Are The Common Symptoms Of Food Hypersensitivity?

The following symptoms can indicate that a child is sensitive to food texture:

• Refusal to eat certain foods
• Challenges to eating habits
• Ritualistic eating behaviors
• Refusal to try new foods
• Meal related tantrums

Autism spectrum children tend to have very limited food choices. Their dietary intake will be limited. Some people eat too much of one type of food and refuse other foods.

Combinations of textures may also influence the way certain foods are consumed. The way food is presented to a child can also be problematic.

A child who does not like the texture of mashed potato but loves peas may find it difficult to accept a plate with both items on the same plate. This can lead to anxiety and challenging behaviour at the dinner table.

We can determine what is causing this hypersensitivity by examining the causes and symptoms.

Does Hypersensitivity To Food Texture Occur In Autistic Kids?

All children will face food-related problems at some point in their lives. Is it more common among autistic children than other children?

The authors of an article entitled Food Selectivity and Sensory Sensitivity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are Sharon A. Cermak (EdD), Carol Curtin (MSW) and Linda G. Bandini (PhD, R.D.). wrote:

Research and clinical observations show that food selection is a problem for children with ASDs. Food textures are a consistent theme in the literature on food selectivity. “It is possible that the sensory sensitivity of many children with ASDs contributes to their difficulty in food texture, and resulting food selectivity.”

Let’s examine some of the issues and symptoms that can be caused by food sensitivity. We will then discuss some tips to help resolve those issues.

What causes hypersensitivity to food texture?

Hypersensitivity to food texture can be caused by several factors. Here are some:

Sensory problems

Texture sensitivities can be caused by sensory processing disorder ( PSD). The texture of the food may be distracting to your child with SPD and can cause them extreme anxiety. They may also have sensory overload, causing them to avoid eating in certain environments.

Sensory food sensitivities may cause your child to reject any food that smells, tastes, or feels like the food that caused their sensory processing disorder. This can cause your child to only eat foods they are familiar with, even though the new food may smell or look appealing.

Other causes

Dental or medical problems can also be a cause. Anxiety and food allergies may play a role.

What Are Some Strategies To Help Children With Their Nutrition And Combat Food Aversions?

Hire the professionals

It is a good idea to ask your child’s doctor for help. It can also lead to other professionals being referred, such as:

• dieticians
• Occupational therapy
• dental work
• Psychotherapy

These and many other possibilities are possible depending on the cause of your child’s dietary problems.

The Causes Of The Problem Should Be Investigated

The first step is to find out why your child is sensitive. It can be helpful to ask our children questions that will help us better understand how they feel and what is causing them difficulty.

You can also ask your child to point out the part of their body they are in pain. It can help us determine if their pain is due to dental problems, food allergies, or anxiety.

You can also ask them to point out the food they dislike. You can then determine if the food your child dislikes is just one food or a group. You can then try to understand why your child doesn’t like the food.

Some children with autism will only eat soft foods. Others may refuse to eat anything else. You’ll never know until you try.

Change your approach

It is more important what a child consumes than how they eat. Sometimes, all it takes is a slight change in presentation or approach. It is important to support your child if they want to avoid certain foods or eat them differently.

Introduce a new food with a preferred texture that is nutritious. If your child prefers soft foods only, then a smoothie with a lot of nutrients could be suited to their tastes, rather than forcing them to eat spinach creamed. If your picky eater only likes crunchy foods, kale chips are a great alternative to kale salad.

In the past, it was not uncommon to see children being forced to stay at the dinner table until their plate was clean, other food would be withheld until a certain dish was consumed, or even disciplined for meltdowns or refusing. We can now see that these methods are not effective, and we hope to find more effective methods.

Eliminate the core problem

You and your family will be able to put into practice the lessons you have learned throughout the process once your child has been working with the right team. You can start to address the issues and solve them. This will help you control your child’s eating habits.

What are the concerns that food texture aversion may bring?

The importance of food in any culture cannot be overstated. Eating brings people together, allows them to experience new cultures and places, and enriches their lives.

Social Impact

Autism children may struggle in social situations. Food and texture sensitivities can make something that should be a simple entry point to social interaction, a concern.

For example, refusing to eat grandma’s cooking can cause a lot of conflict. Intentionally alienating children from well-meaning family members and friends who want them to share in the fun and experience of a meal with their kids can be a mistake.

Nutrition

Most parents prioritize ensuring that their children, whether they have autism or not, can eat a variety of foods, learn how to make healthy food choices and continue this throughout their lives. We worry about the health of our children who have autism if they refuse to eat healthy food.

We worry about their health, their vitamin deficiencies and how strong they can grow. If our children don’t eat foods that are proven to help reduce symptoms, we may worry about comorbidities and autism challenges. How can we help our children get the food they need, given that these are valid concerns?