Internet Guidance on Feeding for Parents of Children With Autism

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with consuming nutritionally adequate diets. When supporting a child with feeding difficulties, many caregivers utilize the internet for medical advice. Our objective is to evaluate internet accessible information on pediatric feeding for accuracy and completeness as pertaining to autistic children with feeding difficulties, who frequently have different needs than neurotypical children with similar difficulties.

Twelve search terms were used across four internet search engines to explore a total of 110 web pages. Each web page was coded for (1) promotion of evidence-based recommendations on pediatric feeding (2) promotion of non-evidence-based recommendations about pediatric feeding, and (3) promotion of products for sale.

Eight out of nine evidence-based recommendations on food selectivity were unanimously endorsed by the analyzed web pages. Two out of five non-evidence-based recommendations on food selectivity (that a child will stop eating when they are full, and that food selectivity is "normal" for children) were endorsed by more than half of web pages. Twenty-two out of 110 web pages advertised a product that required payment.

While many internet web pages were written by or supported by healthcare organizations, professionals, and clinicians, limited information was found which applied specifically to neurodivergent children. Web pages did not frequently note that neurodiverse children may require a more specific approach to feeding and nutrition.