HELP My Child Wont Eat! HELP My Child Wont Eat!

Elizabeth Strickland, MS, RD, LD PO Box 3297 Glen Rose, TX 76043 Telephone: (830) 237-2886 Fax: (866) 855-8301 Email: ASDpuzzle@aol.com Website: www.ASDpuzzle.com BOOK: EATING FOR AUTISM

Impact of poor diet Picky eater vs. Problem Feeder Contributing factors Mealtime strategies Feeding therapy IFSP and IEP

ASD Brain Nutrition

Nutrients Critical for Brain Function

Nutrition Therapy
Goals of Nutrition Therapy

Protein Fat Carbohydrate Amino Acids Omega-3 Fatty Acids Vitamins Minerals Water

Support the structure and function of the childs brain and body to perform at their optimum level. Maximize the childs brain function to enhance their response to other treatment approaches (SLP, OT, PT, Behavioral, Special Education Instruction, etc).

Feeding Problems
The prevalence of problem eating behaviors in children with autism has been estimated to range between 46% and 89%.
Feeding problems in children with autism spectrum disorders: a review. Focus Autism Other Dev Disabil. 2006;21(3):153-166.

Feeding Problems
Research studies indicate that children with autism are more likely to exhibit feeding problems than children with other developmental disabilities or typically developing children.

Feeding Problems
Common Mealtime Behaviors:
Selective

Feeding Problems
Mealtime myths:
Hell eat when he gets hungry enough. Kids wont starve themselves. Dont worry, hell outgrow his picky eating stage. This is NOT true for most autistic children who have feeding problems as opposed to a typical developing child who is a picky eater.

food refusal Food neophobia

(fear of trying unfamiliar foods)

Nonfunctional Tantrums

mealtime rituals

Feeding Problems
Picky Eater

Feeding Problems
Contributing Factors:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Problem Feeder

Decreased variety of food (< 30 foods). Foods lost due to burnout regained after 2 wks. Able to tolerate new foods on plate, touch, or taste. Eats at least 1 food from most food textures. Adds new foods to repertoire in 15-25 steps.

Restricted range of foods (< 20 foods). Foods lost due to burnout, foods not regained. Falls apart when presented new foods. Refuses entire categories of textures. Adds new foods in > 25 steps.
Kay Toomey, Ph.D.

Medical Psychological Nutritional Oral-Motor Dysfunction Sensory Processing Disorder Environmental Child Parent Therapist Behavioral

Feeding Problems
Medical

Feeding Problems
Psychological
History

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders (EGID)

of medical problems

Food allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance Medication side effects Dental problems Previous invasive interventions

Example: Reflux resolved; however, child connects eating to a painful experience.

Feeding Problems
Nutritional
Nutrient deficiencies

Feeding Problems
Oral-Motor Dysfunction

Loss of appetite Excess intake of juice, milk, beverage Displaces food intake

Delayed self-feeding skills Difficulty sucking, biting, chewing, swallowing, or coordination of tongue movements

Feeding Problems
Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Feeding Problems
Environmental

Hypersensitive to smells, touch, and taste Hypersensitive to sound Sensory hyposensitive Visually overwhelmed

Mealtime distractions Grazing all day Lack of routine Improper physical environment

Feeding Problems
Child

Feeding Problems
Parents

Hyperactive Short attention span Highly distractible Low frustration tolerance Need for routine and sameness Impaired social interactions

Mealtime dynamics between child and parent No positive reinforcement Inappropriate social modeling Inconsistent parenting Coerces, tricks, or distracts child

Feeding Problems
Therapist

Using food as a reward Treating child as a picky eater Inappropriate techniques utilized in feeding therapy sessions Not working in conjunction with a multidisciplinary feeding team

Feeding Problems
Behavioral Problems

Refuse to come to table Does not sit still in chair or leaves table Refuses to eat Throwing food Tantrums Gagging and/or vomiting Spitting out food Disrupting others who are eating

Feeding Problems
Basic Mealtime Strategies

Feeding Problems
Feeding Therapy
Feeding Team

1. 2.

Do NOT allow child to graze Schedule meal and snack times Limit juice, milk, and beverages to appropriate amount Limit distractions during meals Social modeling Offer manageable foods Use verbal positive reinforcement Use appropriate mealtime language Avoid food burn-out Avoid development of food rituals

Physician Registered Dietitian Behavioral Specialist Occupational Therapist Speech Language Pathologist

3. 4. 5.

Build a multidisciplinary Feeding Team Individual team members complete an assessment List of the contributing factors Develop a Feeding Intervention Plan Implement the feeding therapy sessions

Feeding Therapy
What feeding methods are NOT helpful?
1. 2.

Feeding Therapy
What feeding methods are helpful?
A combination of feeding methods varying for each child based on their individual feeding problems.

Mere exposure to food Food Deprivation

Research supports that mere exposure to food will increase food preference among typically developing children; however, no studies support this technique is effective for treating children with feeding problems.

Feeding Therapy
Building on preferred foods: Food Chaining
Cheri Fraker, CCC-SLP Expands the childs food repertoire by introducing new foods that have the same features as the foods the child currently eats.

Feeding Therapy
Behavioral:
Positive Escape

reinforcement extinction fading

Tangible item and/or praise Nonremoval of spoon and/or physical guidance

Stimulus

Increasing the number of bites and/or amount of food presented on spoon

Feeding Therapy
Sensory:
Sequential

SOS Approach
Steps to eating
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Oral Sensory Approach to Eating (SOS)

Dr. Day Toomey, PhD

32-step plan to ease the child into tolerating, interacting, smelling, touching, tasting, and eating a new food.

Tolerate Interact Smell Touch Taste Eating

SOS Approach to Eating Kay Toomey, Ph.D. Pediatric Psychologist

Feeding: Nutrition Assessment

AGE: 3 years, 2 months SEX: Male DIAGNOSIS: Autism

Feeding: Nutrition Assessment

ASSESSMENT:
I suspect John is not a picky eater, rather he has a moderate feeding problem negatively impacting his nutritional status. I do not suspect his feeding problem will improve without individualized feeding therapy sessions conducted by the appropriate therapists. I suggest 3, 30 minute feeding therapy sessions per week implemented by an Occupational Therapist and/or Speech Language Pathologist utilizing the Sequential Oral Sensory approach to eating method.

FEEDING
Feeding History: Difficulty transitioning from baby foods to solid foods Number of Foods: Accepts <10 different foods; prefer carbohydrates Reaction to New Foods: Tantrums Discontinued Eating Foods Used to Eat: Yes, vegetables Meal Rituals: Yes, same plate & cup Feeding Skills: Self feeds; fork Food Texture: Does not eat meats Oral/Motor: Difficulty chewing; labored. Appetite: Good Allowed to Graze: No. Sit at Table during Meals: No, walk around or sits alone in den Feeding Therapy: None

Feeding: Nutrition Assessment

FEEDING PLAN:
1.) Basic mealtime strategies
a.) Structure 3 meals + 3 snacks per day b.) No grazing c.) Manageable foods d.) Appropriate mealtime language e.) Positive reinforcement f.) Prevent food repetition and burn-out g.) Change one property of the same food each time offered h.) Expose child to a newly offered food on a daily consistent basis i.) Keep meal-time & snacks a pleasant atmosphere j.) Avoid distractions during mealtime k.) Do NOT bribe, beg, or force child to take a bite l.) Limit mealtime to less than 30 minutes m.) Practice social modeling

Feeding: Nutrition Assessment

2.) Food play time
Build things with food, paint with food, play with food, etc

Feeding: Nutrition Assessment

3.) Feeding therapy
a.) Build a multi-disciplinary Feeding Team b.) Referral to an OT, SLP, and Behavioral Specialist c.) Referral to a Physician d.) Develop an Individualized Feeding Intervention Plan e.) Frequent, consistent feeding therapy sessions; 3 times per week; 30 minute sessions f.) Consider use of feeding therapy methods such as the SOS Approach to Eating. g.) Childs feeding therapist receive training and/or technical assistance if needed
(i.e. attend Dr. Kay Toomey's training on SOS Approach to Eating)

IFSP and IEP

Incorporating Nutrition Outcomes into the childs IFSP or Goals into the IEP is an opportunity to designate the required nutrition services to address the childs developmental and educational needs.

Elizabeth Strickland, MS, RD, LD

IFSP and IEP

IFSP
(Individual Family Services Plan)

IFSP and IEP

IEP
(Individual Education Program)

Outcomes & Objectives A written plan for providing Early Intervention services to an eligible child and his family.
(Birth through 2 years of age)

Goals & Objectives A written plan for providing Special Education and related services to a child with a disability covered under the IDEA.
(Age 3 through 21 years of age)

Physical therapy Occupational therapy Speech therapy Behavioral therapies Support services Art Music Hippo

What is the missing piece?

IEP Feeding Problem

Goal:
Child will master the basic life skill of independently eating a variety of age appropriate nutritious foods.

IEP Feeding Problem

AGE APPROPRIATE FOODS
PLOP: Child refuses new foods, accepts only soft foods, and eats less than five different foods.
Goal: Child will consume a variety of age appropriate foods and textures. Objectives: Child will consume greater than 20 different foods of different textures without resistance. How progress will be measured: ___________________________________________ Special Education: Occupational Therapy and/or Speech Therapy Start Date: _____________________ Location: ______________________ Frequency: ____________________ Duration: _______________________ Related Services: 1.) OT and/or SLP will receive training on the Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Eating (SOS). 2.) Consult with RD to provide list of healthy choices for foods used in therapy sessions.

IEP Feeding Problem

FEEDING SKILLS
PLOP: Child requires prompting to self feed, prefers to use fingers, and does not use utensils. Goal: Child will develop age appropriate self feeding skills using utensils. Objectives: Child will consume his meals with a fork and spoon without any assisted
feeding or prompting.

IFSP/IEP Nutrition Resources

1. 2. 3. Special Education Law Peter Wright www.wrightslaw.com Writing IEP Dr. Barbara Bateman Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in School Nutrition Programs USDA, Food and Nutrition Service www.fns.usda.gov/cnd Book: Eating for Autism Appendix 4: IEP Nutrition Goals & Objectives Elizabeth Strickland, MS, RD, LD www.ASDpuzzle.com

How progress will be measured: _____________________________________ Special Education: Occupational Therapy

Start Date: __________________________ Location: ___________________________ Frequency: _________________________ Duration: ___________________________

4.

Related Services: _____________________________________________________

Federal Regulations
Examples of Nutrition services that may be funded through IDEA include:

Summary

Special foods, supplements, feeding equipment Consultation services of a Registered Dietitian Special education teacher, OT, or other health professional in feeding the child or developing feeding skills.

Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in the School Nutrition Programs

United States Dept. of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service www.fns.usda.gov/cnd

Eating is one of the most important and complex skills acquired in early childhood. Children with ASD typically have problems with feeding. Feeding problems may lead to malnutrition negatively impacting brain and body function. A multi-disciplinary approach to assessing and treating the feeding problem is critical. The feeding treatment methods should be individualized for each child.

Thank you!!!

Q&A

Thank you!!!
Pass on the message Children with ASD are problem feeders not picky eaters!
Elizabeth Strickland, MS, RD, LD Telephone: (830) 237-2886 Email: ASDpuzzle@aol.com Website: www.ASDpuzzle.com