Nurturing Growth: A Holistic Approach to Feeding Challenges in Children with Autism

Part 3: Overcoming Hurdles and Empowering Families Welcome to the final part of our series! In Part 1 and 2, we introduced registered dietitian Casandra Ang and ABA Program Supervisor Belinda, exploring their collaborative approach to understanding and addressing feeding challenges in children with autism. Now, we'll discuss the common hurdles they face, provide essential tips for parents, and share their vision for the future of interdisciplinary care.

Overcoming Challenges in Changing Eating Behaviour

Changing eating behaviour in children with special needs is a journey with its own set of challenges. Casandra notes that children often show strong resistance to trying new foods; even minor changes can lead to refusal. This makes it difficult to introduce variety, and progress can be very slow and unique for each child. This process demands immense patience, consistency, and teamwork. "Mealtimes can become incredibly stressful for families, so building parental support and confidence is a vital part of our work," Casandra emphasizes.

Belinda adds that behavioural change itself takes time and is often met with initial resistance. She observes that while children might be willing to touch and smell new foods, progressing to licking or chewing can be extremely difficult due to anxiety, often leading them to avoid food play entirely. Another significant hurdle is when children have oral motor difficulties, which affect their ability to chew or swallow, thus restricting them to only pureed foods.ive mealtime experience by keeping mealtimes predictable and low-stress is crucial.

Handling Resistance with Empathy

When resistance surfaces from either the child or caregivers, both experts focus on understanding the root cause.

Celebrate even small wins at mealtime.

Casandra explains that a child's resistance often signals they are overwhelmed or unsure. Her approach is to slow down, maintain consistent mealtimes, and help the child feel safe. For caregivers, she acknowledges that change can be difficult, especially after past unsuccessful attempts. She focuses on offering simple, realistic steps and building trust. "Even small progress matters, and the goal is to support families in a way that feels doable and encouraging," Casandra states.

Belinda's approach is rooted in compassion and flexibility. She advocates for a family-centred approach to build trust and rapport, respecting family values. Positively reinforcing the family’s involvement and their efforts is crucial, as is celebrating every small win along the way.

Red Flags & Essential Tips for Parents

There are clear signs that suggest a child might benefit from seeing a dietitian or an ABA therapist. Consider reaching out to a dietitian or ABA therapist based on the guidelines below.

Signs to look out for that indicates help may be required.

For parents navigating mealtime struggles, both experts offer valuable advice. Casandra's key tips are:

• Reduce mealtime pressure: Your role is to offer balanced options; your child decides what and how much to eat. This significantly reduces stress for everyone.

• Model healthy eating: Let your child see you enjoying a variety of foods. Simply observing you can build their interest, even if they don't try it immediately.

• Celebrate small wins: Progress takes time. Be kind to yourself, acknowledge every tiny achievement, and don't hesitate to seek support.

  
  

Belinda outlines a structured 5-step process for parents:

5-step process for parents to navigate mealtime struggles.

Involving Parents & Addressing Misconceptions

Both experts unequivocally state that parents are central to the intervention process. Casandra emphasizes working closely with parents from the very beginning, understanding their unique goals, routines, and challenges at home. Together, they co-create small, practical strategies, and parents receive guidance on how to respond during mealtimes, track progress, and celebrate successes. Belinda adds that parents receive training and ongoing support through modelling, corrective feedback, and positive reinforcement, ensuring they feel empowered every step of the way.

They also address common misconceptions:

• About Dietitians: Casandra clarifies that dietitians do not force children to eat vegetables or cut out all their favourite foods. Their role is to provide realistic and respectful support, tailored to each child's needs and family routines, not to judge or create pressure.

• About ABA: Belinda refutes the idea that good ABA is rigid. Instead, it focuses on building trust, using positive reinforcement, and teaching meaningful skills in a supportive environment. She also stresses that therapy isn't about "fixing" or "normalizing" a child; it's about building on their strengths and teaching skills to improve their quality of life.

The Future of Interdisciplinary Care & Our Collaborative Process

Both Casandra and Belinda envision interdisciplinary teams becoming increasingly vital, especially in early intervention. No single professional can support a child fully on their own.

Casandra believes that collaboration between dietitians, ABA therapists and other specialists allows for a more holistic approach to a child’s needs. This alignment reduces confusion for families, as professionals speak the same language. "I believe the future of care is more collaborative, with families at the centre, and each of us contributing our expertise to support both the child’s development and the family’s wellbeing," Casandra affirms. Belinda also notes an increasing awareness that collaboration ensures consistency and continuity across different settings, providing truly holistic care.

Regarding changes they'd like to see, Casandra wishes for greater awareness that feeding challenges are not just "fussiness." "There are often underlying sensory, medical, or emotional reasons—and children need support, not pressure," she states. She hopes for closer collaboration between schools/clinics and dietitians, as early intervention can reduce family stress and create more effective, holistic support plans. Belinda echoes this, emphasizing the need for more compassion—understanding a child isn't purposely being difficult—and flexibility, moving beyond single techniques or forcing children to "just try." She stresses the importance of recognizing individual differences, developmental trajectories, and a child’s unique strengths.

When supporting children with feeding or behavioural challenges, Casandra and Belinda follow a clear, coordinated process: If a parent reports picky eating or feeding challenges during a behavioural assessment at SEED, Belinda explains a referral is made to the dietitian. Casandra's team then gains access to SEED's assessments and begins understanding the child’s nutritional needs, incorporating input from SEED’s therapists. Likewise, when MDE identifies behavioural aspects impacting feeding, Casandra and her team would refer families to SEED for further support.

Both teams then work together, setting common goals and ensuring their strategies complement each other (e.g., Casandra focusing on nutrition and variety, while the ABA team supports mealtime routines and behaviour). Regular meetings align these goals for consistent, effective support.

---

Working Together for Brighter Mealtimes

Navigating feeding challenges with children, especially those with autism, requires understanding, patience, and a truly integrated approach. As Casandra and Belinda have shared throughout this series, by combining expert knowledge in nutrition and behaviour, we can create a powerful support system that empowers both children and their families. This collaborative effort transforms stressful mealtimes into opportunities for positive growth and development.

We hope this series has provided you with valuable insights and practical strategies. For more information on how our collaborative approach can help your child thrive, contact us at SEED Autism Services today.

Watch the full video here.

Edited by: Raja Nishah