We know eating a varied diet is good for our health, but many autistic people find this challenging. Some may have a restricted diet, eating only a limited range of food, others may over-eat. 

If your child is growing and developing there may not be any need to worry too much at this stage.

There may be a number of reasons why a child will only eat certain foods or over eat but the first thing to do is check if there are any medical concerns. Are they allergic or have food intolerances? Check with your GP or a dietician if your child's diet is significantly impacting on their health.

Next, consider your child’s profile of autism, If there are sensory issues could these be impacting on eating habits and food preferences? It may be that your child will only eat ‘beige’ food or food with certain textures or a particular colour. 

Is the social expectation of meal times too over-whelming?

Keeping a food diary may help identify and understand what may be causing eating difficulties. 

The "Autism and Controlled eating" article from LUCY attached below, explains the complexity of mealtimes. 

Click on the links in this section to find out more 

If your child is eating things that have no nutritional value the attachment below may be able to help

Managing Pica - the eating of non-foods