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Feeding and eating behaviors in children with autism and typically developing children

Yolanda Martins1, Robyn L Young, Danielle C Robson

  • 1School of Psychology, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia. ymartins@gmail.com

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|May 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) showed only slightly more picky eating than typically developing peers. However, they were more prone to current problematic eating and feeding behaviors, impacting treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

  • Feeding and eating behaviors are crucial for child development.
  • Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often exhibit feeding difficulties.
  • Understanding these behaviors in ASD compared to neurotypical children is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare feeding and eating behaviors in children with ASD versus typically developing children.
  • To investigate the prevalence of picky eating and ritualistic feeding behaviors across groups.
  • To identify current problematic eating and feeding behaviors in children with ASD.

Main Methods:

  • Mothers of children aged 2-12 years completed a comprehensive questionnaire.
  • Participants included children with ASD, their typically developing siblings, and matched typically developing children.
  • Assessment covered maternal and child feeding/eating behaviors, including picky eating and ritualistic behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Children with ASD were only marginally more likely to exhibit overall picky eating behaviors.
  • Rates of ritualistic feeding behaviors were similar across all groups studied.
  • Children with ASD were significantly more likely to exhibit current problematic eating and feeding behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • While general picky eating is not significantly elevated in children with ASD, problematic feeding behaviors are more prevalent.
  • Findings highlight the need for tailored approaches to address specific feeding challenges in children with ASD.
  • Further research can inform the development of effective treatment strategies for feeding difficulties in this population.

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