This study explores autistic women's experiences of eating disorder services. Estimates suggest that 20%-30% of women in treatment for anorexia nervosa display diagnostic features characteristic of autism. Research suggests that autistic individuals' needs are not being met by standard anorexia nervosa treatments. In the current study, in-depth…

This study aims to translate the Brief Autism Mealtime Behaviour Inventory (BAMBI) questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese, in order to provide a tool to be used in clinic routine that encourages the evaluation of the feeding behaviour of patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The final sample contained 410 participants, the mean age was 9.58…

Feeding disorders exhibited by children with developmental disabilities, which include limiting food intake or refusing to consume solid foods, often result in poor health consequences. Interventions for feeding disorders vary in terms of their acceptability to children with disabilities and their families. One specific procedure, the…

This study compared a behavioral feeding intervention with and without pre-meal sensory integration therapy (SIT) in two boys with autism spectrum disorder and severe food selectivity. For both participants, child bite and drink consumption and total intake increased to similar levels with corresponding decreases in inappropriate mealtime behavior…

Scurvy was diagnosed in seven children at Boston Children's Hospital. All of the children had a developmental disorder and autism was the most common. They had a long-standing history of food selectivity with diets devoid of fruits and vegetables, and none of the children were supplemented with a multivitamin. They presented with limp, and an…

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.…

Though schools have become the default mental health providers for children and adolescents, they are poorly equipped to meet the mental health needs of their students. "Evidence-Based Practice in School Mental Health" differs from other books that address child and adolescent psychopathology by focusing on how to help students with…

Behavioral feeding difficulties occur at a high rate in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and can have a serious impact on their overall health and development. Although there are a number of studies demonstrating effective strategies for addressing behavioral feeding difficulties in children with ASD, the majority of them have been…

Behavior analysts have evaluated a wide range of assessment and treatment strategies in the area of feeding disorders. However, little is known about the effects of interventions employing peer modeling. This study extends upon the existing research on peer modeling and differential reinforcement with a 9-year-old boy diagnosed with autism who…

Food selectivity is a common problem among children and youth who have intellectual and developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorders. Whereas most intervention research has been conducted under simulated conditions in clinic and hospital settings, this study evaluated teacher implemented procedures at a specialized school. The…

We evaluated the effects of redistribution and swallow facilitation with a flipped spoon on packing in 2 children with a feeding disorder. For both participants, packing decreased when we implemented the flipped spoon treatment package. Mechanisms responsible for behavior change and areas of future research are discussed. (Contains 1 figure.)

Studies have evaluated a range of interventions to treat food selectivity in children with autism and related developmental disabilities. The high-probability instructional sequence is one intervention with variable results in this area. We evaluated the effectiveness of a high-probability sequence using 3 presentations of a preferred food on…

This paper reviews recent studies on behavioral interventions for children with autism and feeding problems. The applicability of interventions that have been tested with other populations of children with feeding problems is discussed, as well as directions for future research.

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…

Two functional assessments (interview and direct observation) were used with three children with autism to identify the functions maintaining mealtime behaviour including acceptance, mouth clean, refusal, and other disruptive behaviours such as crying and pushing the spoon. Based on results of the functional assessments it was hypothesized that…