Let's take this one, together
Refusing to eat
Many children on the spectrum eat a short list of 'safe' foods, and mealtimes can feel like a standoff. This is about comfort and predictability, not pickiness, and it's not a verdict on your cooking.
Try this
- 1
Serve at least one food you know they like, every single time, alongside anything new.
- 2
Keep meals short, calm, and predictable: same seat, same plate, low pressure.
- 3
Let them say no. 'You don't have to eat it' takes the fight out of the table.
Not this
- ✕
Don't beg, bargain, or insist they take 'just one bite.'
- ✕
Don't comment on how much or how little is on the plate.
- ✕
Don't compare them to cousins or siblings who eat everything.
- ✕
Don't give food or drink that you were instructed not to give them. Allergies, swallowing or other issues can make the ingestion of forbidden foods harmful and in the worst case, deadly.
A fed child and a peaceful table beat a balanced plate eaten in tears. Keep offering; the list grows slowly.