Support and development of autistic children with selective eating habits

Aims: We provided 3 special diets to 40 preschool children with autism at lunchtime and detected improvements in diet-related issues in almost all of the children. The children fell into the following 3 groups: those who selected their diet based on: group1 = sensory factors; group2 = visual appearance of foods; and group3 = familiar foods. To identify effective support, we performed developmental and sensory assessments of each group retrospectively.

Method: There were 7 children in group1, 9 in group2, and 24 in group3. The duration of support was 1-3 years. We performed developmental assessments before and after the support period.

Results: We found improvement in diet-related issues in almost all children. Initially, the mean developmental age for language understanding differed among group1 (10.8 months), group2 (14.7 months), and group3 (16.6 months). Furthermore, with respect to basic ability in daily life, the mean developmental age in group1 (19.2 months) was lower than that in group3 (24.8 months). Finally, the mean developmental quotient in group3 (49.6) was higher than that in group1 (36.4) and group2 (40.8). No significant differences were observed in sensory assessment among the groups.

Conclusions: Developmental assessment can be useful for determining the type of support. Group1 support is suitable for children in the pre-language stage. Group2 support is suitable for children who can recognize shapes or understand instructions in simple language. Group3 support is suitable for children who can understand instructions in simple language and a daily routine.