I know. It’s hard to see the glass half full when your child eats only one specific shape of macaroni and cheese from that one specific brand. But after helping so many very selective eaters with autism expand their diets to include more foods, I now see potential when parents share their child’s minimal food list.
As a nutritionist who works with children on the autism spectrum, the primary concern I hear from parents is that their child won’t try new foods. Autism picky eating is extremely common - anywhere from 50 to over 80% of parents report picky eating in a child on the spectrum.
Join us in this post as we talk about autism safe foods, sensory sensitivities, familiarity and routines for autistic people!
Refusing to eat, or difficult behaviors during meals, can be frustrating to say the least. These are my 12 ways to help a picky eater on the autism spectrum learn to eat new foods, different types and textures of foods, new flavors and more. Let’s bring the fun back to mealtimes! My Getting Picky Eaters...
Dairy and gluten sensitivities may exasperate symptoms of autism. Therefore, a gluten-free casein-free diet for autism may improve symptoms. Includes 33...
Natural sources and processed food that conains glutamate
Explaining too much detail will overwhelm your child and do more harm than good. Here are three tips to know how to explain autism to autistic children
I know. It’s hard to see the glass half full when your child eats only one specific shape of macaroni and cheese from that one specific brand. But after helping so many very selective eaters with autism expand their diets to include more foods, I now see potential when parents share their child’s minimal food list.
Having a hard time encouraging your autistic child eat new food? We've created this guide to help you better understand the relationship of autism and picky eating, and how to overcome it.
Dairy and gluten sensitivities may exasperate symptoms of autism. Therefore, a gluten-free casein-free diet for autism may improve symptoms. Includes 33...
The everything-you-need-to-know guide on Autism Feeding Therapy is here! You’ll learn what autism feeding therapy is, who it’s for, and an example of one child’s autism feeding therapy in action.
Studies have shown that the ketogenic diet can help treat individuals who have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Learn how a keto diet potentially helps Autism.
What is food chaining? It’s a strategy that involves finding foods that are as similar as possible to what a child already eats. Offering those foods will likely be more successful than offering foods that are vastly different than what your child is used to eating. Picky eaters tend to be very routine in their […]
Can probiotics really help children with autism? Click here to read our free guide and learn everything you need to know about probiotics for autism.
Dairy and gluten sensitivities may exasperate symptoms of autism. Therefore, a gluten-free casein-free diet for autism may improve symptoms. Includes 33...
The everything-you-need-to-know guide on Autism Feeding Therapy is here! You’ll learn what autism feeding therapy is, who it’s for, and an example of one child’s autism feeding therapy in action.
The gluten free casein free diet is one of many alternative autism treatments that can help manage the symptoms of autism, and we're sharing 29 tips and kid-approved recipes to help you get started!
Check out the ultimate guide to Autism resources for parents, teachers and caregivers. Including our editors pick of top articles, websites and directories. Please share....
Dairy and gluten sensitivities may exasperate symptoms of autism. Therefore, a gluten-free casein-free diet for autism may improve symptoms. Includes 33...
Cooking is such an engaging activity. It can be hard to plan, but one recipe could yield a week of valuable lessons. Find out how.
The everything-you-need-to-know guide on Autism Feeding Therapy is here! You’ll learn what autism feeding therapy is, who it’s for, and an example of one child’s autism feeding therapy in action.
Today we're looking at the GAPS diet introduction phase stage 3. By this time, some deep healing is underway. Let's find out what foods to add in next!
The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills - Revised edition (ABLLS®-R) is an assessment tool, curriculum guide, and skills-tracking system used to help guide the instruction of language and critical learner skills for children with autism or other developmental disabilities. This resource features 108 picture cards of common items, including foods, animals, household items, clothing, vehicles, school supplies, and more! These picture cards can be used to assess basic language skills for children in the following areas: *Receptive language *Tacting (labeling) *Visual performance (matching to sample) Use this resource in combination with the Assessment of Basic Language & Learning Skills - Revised edition and the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment & Placement Program. These picture cards are aligned with the ABLLS-R (2010) and VB-MAPP (2008).
Last week, the autism teachers in my school were approached by our Assistant Principal and told that our school would be participating in it's FIRST EVER (at least since I have been here) lockdown drill. This is the kind of drill that you typically get no warning for since the police want to see how your school reacts in the moment. Basically, the school announces a lockdown over the intercom, and everyone is supposed to act as though an intruder is in the building. With all the current issues with school shootings, etc. I am surprised we have never done this type of drill before...but I am glad we are at least starting them now. How do you prepare your students for a lockdown drill? I really have no idea. However, I figured I would make a brief social story explaining the drill as well as practice the drill a few times. And, can I just say...I was so grateful to my Assistant Principal for warning us. My kids flip out during fire drills, so I could only imagine how they would react to this! I was afraid they would run out of the building just like a fire drill! The hardest part about knowing ahead of time about the drill was that we couldn't tell anyone about it....because this drill was supposed to be an assessment of how good my school would do in a real life intruder situation. But luckily, because we knew, we were able to prepare our students a little by showing them the "lock down area" and assigning each kid a general spot to sit in. Another way I prepared, was by making an emergency trip to the store to get some chewy snacks to help keep my kiddos quiet (since this is key to this type of drill). During the actual drill, my students were perfect! I couldn't have asked for things to go better than they did. The only noise I heard was them chewing on their candy! Now, next year, when we don't have any warning...well, we'll see how that goes! I'm thinking about storing some emergency candy (with "lock down" taped on it) to have on hand at all times for whenever the drill ends up happening!
Pour la semaine du goût, j'ai demandé aux enfants de tous ramener un fruit et un légume. Le mercredi, nous les avons nommés, j'ai fait le point sur ce que l'on avait, et fait des courses complémentaires le mercredi après-midi. Jeudi et vendredi, nous avons épluché , coupé et cuit au cuit vapeur, et les enfants ont tous gouté chaque aliment . j'ai répertorié dans un tableau au fur et à mesure s'ils aimaient ou non. Lundi , nous utiliseront les fiches mémoire suivantes pour laisser une trace dans le cahier de vie. Je ne mets pas le modifiable, je pense que vous savez faire un tableau pour mettre vos propres fruits et légumes :D
Dairy and gluten sensitivities may exasperate symptoms of autism. Therefore, a gluten-free casein-free diet for autism may improve symptoms. Includes 33...
Dairy and gluten sensitivities may exasperate symptoms of autism. Therefore, a gluten-free casein-free diet for autism may improve symptoms. Includes 33...
Having a hard time encouraging your autistic child eat new food? We've created this guide to help you better understand the relationship of autism and picky eating, and how to overcome it.
Salicylate intolerance is not well-understood, and often misdiagnosed. This article looks at the evidence-based ways to treat salicylate intolerance.
What your child eats has a major impact on his brain and body function. Eating for Autism is the first book to explain how an autism, Asperger's, PDD-NOS, or ADHD condition can effectively be treated through diet.Eating for Autism presents a realistic 10-step plan to change your child's diet, starting with essential foods and supplements and moving to more advanced therapies like the Gluten-Free Casein-Free diet. Parents who have followed Strickland's revolutionary plan have reported great improvements in their child's condition, from his mood, sleeping patterns, learning abilities, and behavior to his response to other treatment approaches. Complete with 75 balanced, kid-friendly recipes, and advice on overcoming sensory and feeding skill problems, Eating for Autism is an essential resource to help a child reach his full potential.
Getting Your Asperger Child to Try New Food: As if coping with Aspergers (high functioning autism) wasn't difficult enough, meal times can become the battle of the century trying to get your Aspergers child to eat something, anything. Sometimes, due to their sensory issues, getting a child with Aspergers to eat can make you want to pull your hair out. One day they will eat something, and the next day they scream when it comes near their mouth … not to mention your fears as a mother or father that your child is not getting adequate nutrition. So what do you do when your Aspergers child becomes a picky eater? Here are a few suggestions: 1. Make a game of trying a food. Have him help you prepare a new food, and then both of you taste it. Or make a food a funny color as a joke, and then eat it. 2. Make your Aspergers child a "menu". Have him choose an appetizer and a main course. Provide him with two choices in each category. Make both appetizer choices foods he does not typically eat. Serve him a very small portion of the appetizer he chooses, start with just one bite. Provide a choice of at least one main course food that he prefers, but tell him appetizer comes before the main course and he needs to choose and eat the appetizer before he will be given the main course. Stress to him that as soon as he tastes the appetizer it will be time for the main dish, and provide a lot of positive reinforcement for eating the appetizer. Try to stick with the same appetizer choices for about a week to allow him to get used to them. If he starts picking the same appetizer on consecutive days, begin increasing the serving size until he is eating a typical amount. 3. One option is to try the same food in another form. If they were unimpressed by the orange slices, provide them with a glass of orange juice. 4. One possible issue is the upset over food touching other food. This can be easily remedied by using divided plates that do not allow contact between areas and therefore, the food remains separated. 5. Outside of meals, try talking to him about new things in general, and how trying new things is sometimes scary – but also lots of fun. You could remind him of things he was scared of initially but now enjoys, and then point out that trying new foods is similar. 6. Won't touch green vegetables? Serve them some V8. Of course, this can become difficult and you can feel like you are running a restaurant if you have other children you are preparing meals for, but like all aspects of the Aspergers world, it takes adjustments. The less you indulge in the food fight the better chance you have of overcoming the issue. Though coping with Aspergers and picky eating can be a somewhat daunting task, it is essential to keep trying and doing your best as a parent to provide your child with what they need. If you notice a complete lack of certain nutrients or foods in their diet, your best approach may be supplements. Do what you can, and in time it becomes easier and more like second nature. It's a long and gradual process, but stick with it. The Aspergers Comprehensive Handbook
So, we’re half-way through our work week and I felt that sharing the ADHD Diet sheet would be a good idea to try and get everyone through to Friday. Like I mentioned in this post, my husband …
Vitamin supplements have proven to be beneficial for children with autism. By choosing specific supplements to address autistic symptoms, you can help your child better manage daily challenges. To learn more about supplements for autism, check out this article.
January has just begun yet it feels like it is just flying by! January is a tough month for kids with not many holidays to celebrate and keep them engaged! But winter is finally here! Check out these winter resources I use to keep my kids engaged! JANUARY VOCAB! My kids just LOVE these units- […]
Can probiotics really help children with autism? Click here to read our free guide and learn everything you need to know about probiotics for autism.
Echolalia- Learn strategies for your Autism classroom. What echolalia is and how to reduce it with activities to decrease repetitive speech or non-authentic communication.
A look at The Nemechek Protocol for Autism. This “how-to guide” for restoring neurological function implies that a state of homeostasis can be reached either again, or for the first time in a child’s life. One aspect of the Nemechek protocol that is very attractive to me is that there are only three simple components.
As the mom of two sensory kids, I've seen my fair share of sensory toys. Some worked. Some didn't. And sometimes it just depends on the kid.
