Help! My autistic child isn't a foodie...

For children with food and/or eating issues try playing a game with food, exploring foods using all the senses. This takes the pressure away from the actually “eating”.

The object of the game isn't to actually swallow the food but to put it in his/her mouth (have a spit bucket handy). Then both of you can describe what it looks like, smells like, sounds like, feels like, tastes like:- and use all the describing words – real or made up – that you can think of!

Because your Autistic child doesn't have to swallow the food, and is therefore in some control of the situation, this game can make big inroads into discovering other foods he/she likes. You'll be able to pick up cues like whether it's how it feels in their mouth; the smell of if; the colour of it; rather than not wanting to eat it.

Play this game together and make it a fun, messy activity with no pressure to eat or swallow. Kids usually love being “disgusting” so it can be a really fun game to do together, but make sure you clarify that this use of food is only when you play the game and not at the dinner table!

Understand it can take many months or years to increase the types of foods your child with autism will readily eat, but desensitizing with a game such as this can really help.

?Nelle Frances 2014