Is feeding an autistic child difficult?
Kya aapka baccha sirf 2-3 cheezein hi khata hai? Aap akelay nahi hain. Autism mein selective eating ek common struggle hai
Feeding an autistic child can be challenging due to sensory sensitivities and picky eating. Discover practical mealtime strategies, tips, and therapy-backed solutions to help make feeding easier and stress-free.
This is quite a common question with different perspectives and solutions, and answers, while the answer is yes!
It is very difficult to feed an autistic child of any age, depending on which stage the child is in. In different stages are children with
Mild Autism - the child with a lower percentage of autism disorder
Moderate autism - a child with a medium percentage of autism disorder
Severe autism - the child with the highest level of autism.
Well, for some children, this stage does not matter, especially in the feeding part. Different points make it difficult for parents to feed their children easily compared to normal children.
Let's elaborate on the points -
Sensory issues - as we all know tongue is one of the sensory organs that helps to taste the food. Food includes sweet food, spicy food, bitter and sour food items, soft, chewy, and crunchy food items. For example, fruits, vegetables, fibres, pickles, rice, dal, gummies, bitter gourd, etc. No, where a normal child can feel the taste, but due to the sensory issues in an autistic child, he doesn't know how the food taste because the nerve cells of their tongue grows weak.
Vomit during feeding - autistic children don't find eating a good part of their daily routine. So when they are fed or forced to eat any food, they intentionally create a choking pressure in their throat and start coughing very hard. That cough pressure is so vigorous that the sensation feels like vomiting, and they tend to throw up.
Children with autism disorder don't like few food items and will either run away just to avoid them.
They also don't know how to chew, so they tend to gulp or swallow the whole food at one go.
Socialization problem is also one of the issues because few autistic children do eat on their own if left alone in their own space, but close their mouths so tightly when anyone feeds them, even if he is fed by their mother.
These symptoms might seem very normal, but it is not. These symptoms shall not be neglected and must be worked on.
The only solution to this is a good therapist and a therapy centre. Parents should visit good therapy centres as soon as they see any of these symptoms and try not to waste their children's age and time.
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