[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-595122-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-595122-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","feeding-problems-autism-spectrum-disorder","Feeding Problems: Autism Spectrum Disorder","","Feeding problems commonly affect children with autism spectrum disorder from an early age, often showing up as picky eating, food refusal, food selectivity, sensory sensitivity, and rapid eating. These challenges can contribute to medical complications, including gastrointestinal symptoms and micronutrient or nutritional deficiencies, as well as digestive issues related to gut flora imbalance. Feeding difficulties may also create social-emotional impacts by limiting participation in social eating, increasing anxiety around meals, and affecting inclusion at home and school. Early interventions and behaviour therapy can help support improved feeding behaviour, though further research is needed.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/feeding-problems-autism-spectrum-disorder/595122/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/feeding-problems-autism-spectrum-disorder/595122.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Bulrr","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-28","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What feeding problems are most common in autism spectrum disorder?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"Common feeding problems include food selectivity, followed by food refusal, and then rapid eating. These patterns are often linked to rigid routines and repeated eating behaviours.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"How can feeding problems affect health in children with autism?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"Feeding problems can lead to medical complications such as gastrointestinal symptoms and nutritional deficiencies, including risks related to micronutrients. Digestive issues may involve poor digestion and imbalances in gut flora.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"Do feeding problems have social or emotional consequences?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Yes. Feeding problems in social eating situations can produce social-emotional consequences for both the child and family, potentially interfering with inclusion in social opportunities. Some children may refuse to eat with peers or during lunch at school.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},595122,1793032280,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,109,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":106,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":30,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":123,"preview_page_count":4},5909892115043,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","REFEREED ARTICLE  \nFeeding Problems: Autism Spectrum Disorder  \nShannon Riccio  \nAbstract  \nIt is common for children with autism spectrum disorder to experience feeding problems that develop at an early age and include picky eating, food refusal, and rapid eating. This can lead to medical complications such as gastrointestinal issues or nutritional deficiencies. Feeding problems in children with autism can result in social-emotional implications. Children with autism may also experience oral sensitivities linked to feeding problems. Parents, doctors, and educators can use early interventions and behaviour therapy to support each child and improve feeding behaviour. More research in this area is required to support future learning in autism feeding problems.  \nAutism feeding problems develop early in life and include food sensitivity, food selectivity, food refusal, and rapid eating that can lead to medical complications and nutritional deficiencies. Although roughly a quarter of parents report feeding problems during their children’s development, the occurrence of feeding problems in children with autism is notably higher (Aponte et al. , 2018) . Feeding problems are defined as a disorder in which the inability or refusal to orally consume adequate nutritional, hydration, or caloric intake results in negative nutritional developments that are associated with medical complications (Leader et al. , 2020) . Although research in feeding problems in children with autism is relatively new, there are interventions, strategies, and techniques that parents and caregivers can access to support their child’s feeding problems.  \nFeeding Problems and Associated Health Concerns  \nMultiple feeding problems occur in children with autism, the most common being food selectivity, followed by food refusal, and then rapid eating (Leader et al. , 2020) . People with autism spectrum disorder can be rigid in their routine and will often exhibit repeat behaviours that narrow their eating habits and food choices, which can lead to health concerns (Ansel, 2021) . Children with autism can be very selective in their food choices, resulting in a limited food repertoire (Peterson & Ibañez, 2018) .  \nMany children with autism have sensitivities or allergies linked to poor digestion, imbalances in gut flora, and problems breaking down and eliminating certain substances (Muller, 2016) . Food issues can have negative impacts on the general health of the child with autism and can lead to medical complications. This could potentially lead to deficiencies in micronutrients, putting the child at risk for medical complications (Peterson & Ibañez, 2018) .  \nIn addition to nutritional deficiencies, children with feeding problems can experience gastrointestinal symptoms. Although research of feeding problems and gastrointestinal symptoms is limited, there is evidence that links children with autism to having at least one GI symptom (Leader et al. , 2020, p. 1402) . Children with autism will limit food selection, not eat enough food, or experience health conditions such as constipation (Ansel, 2021) . As a special education resource teacher, I have seen firsthand that students with autism can be quite particular when it comes to their food choices and how much they choose to eat. Parents appear to pack the same food each day, and students refuse to eat anything else with the exception of two or three familiar foods. Many of my students with autism engage in rapid eating and experience issues with constipation, diarrhea, or excessive to the norm bowel movements  \nper day. In many instances, support staff spend a large part of their day helping students in the washroom. Issues surrounding child feeding problems have become a challenge for me, my colleagues, and parents when encouraging children to try new things for the sake of added nutrition or, in some cases, getting children with autism to eat at all. This issue can be considered a disorder called Avoidant Restrictiv","cbCaioYfPN22Ra2U","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaioYfPN22Ra2U","pdf",120100,"English","# Feeding Problems: Autism Spectrum Disorder\n## Feeding problems and associated health concerns\n## Feeding selectivity, refusal, and rapid eating\n## Nutritional deficiencies and gastrointestinal symptoms\n## Social and emotional impacts of feeding problems","[{\"question\":\"What feeding problems are most common in autism spectrum disorder?\",\"answer\":\"Common feeding problems include food selectivity, followed by food refusal, and then rapid eating. These patterns are often linked to rigid routines and repeated eating behaviours.\"},{\"question\":\"How can feeding problems affect health in children with autism?\",\"answer\":\"Feeding problems can lead to medical complications such as gastrointestinal symptoms and nutritional deficiencies, including risks related to micronutrients. Digestive issues may involve poor digestion and imbalances in gut flora.\"},{\"question\":\"Do feeding problems have social or emotional consequences?\",\"answer\":\"Yes. Feeding problems in social eating situations can produce social-emotional consequences for both the child and family, potentially interfering with inclusion in social opportunities. Some children may refuse to eat with peers or during lunch at school.\"}]","Feeding Problems: Autism Spectrum Disorder | PDF",1792080485]