Helping Children Meet Their Full Potential Faster
Many children on the spectrum tend to face problems when it comes to mealtimes and food items. This can lead to nutrition deficiencies, poor growth rates, or weight loss. Therefore, we have compiled some tips on nutrition & mealtimes that may prove to be helpful to your family and you.
Here are 10 Nutrition Tips for Families of Children with Autism:
Lay the groundwork for their success. Make it simpler for them to do what is right. Let your home be a center of good health & nutrition. Only bring in healthy foods & drinks.
Be generous with rewards. Reward them for eating healthy or trying a new dish/drink. Smiles, hugs, favorite toys & activities should be doled out in good measure.
Daily schedules should incorporate fixed mealtimes. Don’t offer drinks & food to the child outside the fixed meal & snack times. Water is an exception.
Dinner should be a family meal. Dinner should be together where the child observes what constitutes a balanced meal (proteins, greens, and vitamins), even though they may eat selective food items.
Mix the food during mealtimes. The plate should include one food item the child likes and one that is healthy/new to them to try out. Introduce the new food item repeatedly to enhance the scope of it being accepted.
Get professional help. If your child displays unusual feeding habits or has sensory issues, gastro-esophageal reflux, developmental delays, or suffers from anxiety/stress that affects nutrition, seek the help of therapists, doctors, or nutritionists.
Make food fun. This includes converting food into fun shapes, getting the child to help in the kitchen, or exploring the food item as a sensory object. These act as motivations to eat well & healthy or try new food items.
Doctors and new diets. Always consult the doctor before beginning any new diet.
Introduction to vegetables. Introduce your child to the wonderful world of healthy greens such as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and arugula. One vegetable at a time. Veggies are rich in vitamins and fiber.
Make mealtimes happy. Set the tone for a happy & relaxed mealtime for all. A quiet and happy environment is ideal.
