Food selectivity is a common feeding problem among autistic children. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the impact of selective eating on key social domains--with family, peers, and in other social situations--of transition-age autistic youth who self-identified as being food selective. Interviews were conducted with 20…

Based on parent questionnaires, we demonstrate the presence of an eating pattern among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by both food selectivity and eating in the absence of hunger. Children with ASD were categorized as engaging in eating patterns of selective overeating, selective eating only, overeating only, or…

Children with autism spectrum disorders show higher food selectivity, which restricts consumption of some foods and may cause nutritional deficiencies. The aims of this meta-analysis are to determine the overall differences in nutritional intake and food consumption between children with autism spectrum disorder and control (typical development)…

Atypical eating behaviors displayed by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) predispose them to unhealthy weight gain. We determined the factors associated with body weight status among 261 children with ASD (3-18 years) at nine autism intervention centers. Their mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic…

Feeding problems, such as picky eating and food avoidance, are common in youth with autism. Other feeding and eating problems (e.g. disordered eating, fear of trying new foods, and insistence on specific food presentation) are also common in this population. This scoping review describes the nature and extent of feeding and eating problems in…

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the dietary intake, food refusal, and nutritional status of younger and older children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Mumbai, India, and to understand the relationships between these variables and mealtime behaviors and sensory integration. Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional…

Feeding difficulties related to selective intake, or eating a limited variety of foods, are very common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, and CINAHL identified 29 studies that evaluated eight correlates: age, ASD symptoms and severity, cognitive and adaptive skills, sensory processing…

A number of studies have been made of mealtime behavioral problems and food selectivity in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though not from a multidisciplinary perspective where diet and dental care are investigated in children with ASD. In the present study, the parents of 55 children with ASD and 91 children with typical development…

Food selectivity is the most commonly reported feeding problem in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD.) Schreck et al. (2004) surveyed 472 caregivers of children between 5 and 12 years of age. They found that 72% of those children diagnosed with ASD had feeding difficulties, significantly higher than same-age peers without ASD.…

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Brief Autism Mealtime Behaviors Inventory (BAMBI). In a sample of 273 well-characterized children with ASD, we explored the factor structure of the BAMBI, determined the internal consistency of a newly derived factor structure and provide an empirically derived cut-off for…

This study examined similarities and differences between mothers of preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and mothers of preschool children with typical development (TD) in their perceptions of four mealtime outcomes: nutritional intake, stress, time, and assistance given. One group of 24 mothers of children with ASD and one…

Many young children with autism exhibit feeding-related difficulties, such as accepting a limited diet, demonstrating texture aversions, or using only specific mealtime utensils. Young children with autism need assistance to acquire skills to improve mealtime behavior, including increased acceptance of a variety of foods (types and textures) at…

This study identified mealtime behaviors of young children (3-6 years old) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and compared these behaviors to children with typical development matched for age, gender, and ethnicity. The parents of children with ASD (n = 24) and children with typical development (n = 24) completed a mealtime survey to assess early…

Fool selectivity is characterized by the consumption of an inadequate variety of foods. The effectiveness of behavioral treatment procedures, particularly nonremoval of the spoon, is well validated by research. The role of parents in the treatment of feeding disorders and the feasibility of behavioral procedures for parent implementation in the…

This study assessed the effects of a vibrating pager for increasing the duration of meal consumption in 3 teenagers with autism who were observed to eat too quickly. Participants were taught to take a bite only when the pager vibrated at predetermined intervals. A reversal design indicated that the vibrating pager successfully increased the total…