Eating habits and autism, is it linked?

[PinkDaydreams]

Hello all!
2.6 year old boy with possible autism (awaiting diagnosis) and no speech at all (again, awaiting SALT).
I just need some advice please regarding food as he is so picky. Originally thought that it’s just a phase but could it be linked to autism?
I’ve tried only giving him one option and not giving into him but it doesn’t work, he will just not eat the food at all. It’s like he would rather go hungry than try something new. I’ve tried food that I know he will like alongside new food but that gets ignored or thrown. I ignore any throwing, it gets cleaned up at the end.
He seems to like crunchy textures. I’m struggling trying to give him different lunches and dinners each day but what can I do?
He eats fish/veg/chicken fingers, any type of egg, loves baked beans, I can hide cheese/peas/sweet potato in frittata, beans and mashed potato, pasta with homemade sauce, homemade soup and that’s about it. He’s gone off so much food lately that he used to like. Fruits he will only eat banana but it has to be sliced otherwise he won’t go near it, the only other fruit source is the Heinz fruit pots and custards and also ellas kitchen smoothies (only has one a week).
He has vitamins in his milk each night.
Please help! I’m worried he’s going to waste away!

I've heard that ABA is really good for that

Thank you, I’ve not read much or know much about ABA so I’ll have a nosey.

Food sensitivities (and hence very limited diets) are very common with autism. Certain textures (or even the colour of the food) are likely to cause him pain or disgust so yes, he would rather go hungry.

Thank you @AladdinMum. What am I best doing then, do I still try him with new foods? He seems to eat the same things most days, is that ok? There’s not much variety.
He used to eat things like, cottage pie, lasagne, chili, bolonaise, curry but won’t eat any of those now.

He's not going to waste away, I've seen so many young autistic adults who are hunking great things and their mums swear they only eat crisps 😂 also sounds like you're doing a great job with all that veg!

Autism and sensory issues go hand in hand. Even neurotypical people can be hyper(over)-sensitive in some areas and hypo(under)-sensitive in others but this can be exaggerated and coping strategies diminished in Autistic people.

Does he have sensory seeking behaviors (eg. head banging, noise making, scratching) or sensory defensive behaviors (eg. stripping off, covering ears) in other areas than food too?

As you're waiting for a diagnosis and further support from OT/Speech and Language then you might find it helpful to think about these things:

• Does he react to smells as well as taste? If so try having him in the kitchen while you cook so the smell builds up slowly.

• Think about the textures he prefers. From your OP he likes crunchy things so do stuff in breadcrumbs or batter to encourage him to try new/different flavors.

• Think about the transition to the table to eat, get him to help with or observe preparation tasks like setting the table so he's ready to eat when you're dishing up rather than it being a quick shift from play to eating.

• Take the pressure off both of you by reducing the expectation on him to eat. If he doesn't eat, that's ok, it's his choice. You are giving him healthy and varied food, he is not going to starve.

I'm dealing with my own picky eater too, she's a lot younger so who knows if it's Autism but it's certainly a struggle! Good luck ❤️

Thank you @RubyDreamsOfRainbows. He used to eat more veg but honestly I just can’t get it down him now. He’s gone so fussy!
I’ve started to lighten up a lot lately regarding food but have panicked this week because his diet is so limited even though I’m trying new things with him all the time, he still prefers breadcrumbs and beans!

Funny you should say about smell, he likes to sniff things, even new toys. He has very sensitive hearing, covers his ears a lot. He likes flashing lights and things with buttons that flash.

It’s hard isn’t it, I do my best but honestly doubt myself a lot too, especially during this lockdown as we aren’t out and about anywhere near as much as we were

It's quite normal for children to start refusing food they previously ate as they get older and want to make their own choices, so this isn't necessarily a sign that your DS is autistic. If your DS is autistic, you may need to adjust your expectations of his diet. It sounds like he is eating pretty healthily with the homemade soup and pasta sauce. He doesn't necessarily need fruit if he is getting veg. If he like crunchy textures, would he eat sticks of raw carrot and pepper dipped in houmous or ketchup?

Thank you for your reply. He likes tomato sauce but only off his finger, anything dipped in it gets refused
He’s very particular about how he has some food, for example banana and omlette both have to be sliced in a certain way, hidden peas have to be shelled.

Sounds like you're doing a great job of encouraging him to eat a varied and healthy diet despite the restrictions. A diagnosis (if he does have autism) will help get access to a proper assessment from speech and language, dietitian and/or OT depending on what's needed. Keep going, you're doing well

Hi
did you get a diagnosis in the end ? Going through the same with my daughter who’s 17 months and driving me crazy 🤪