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A child who hates food with texture, rejects hot or cold foods, has very limited food preferences, or holds food in his or her mouth for extended periods are likely prime candidates for autism screening.  

Studies at Penn State’s psychiatry department of some 2,000 children demonstrate that unusual eating behaviors are present in 70% of children with autism spectrum disorders.  These odd eating habits are 15 times more common in autistic kids compared with their neurotypical peers.

The lesson is that kids who consistently eat differently from their sibs and peers should be given the benefit of an early autism diagnosis.  If you child refuses anything grittier than baby food or wants to live on bacon alone, make certain that their pediatricians speak with you about referring them for testing and any necessary early intervention.

Susan Dickerson Mayes, Hana Zickgraf. Atypical eating behaviors in children and adolescents with autism, ADHD, other disorders, and typical development. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2019; 64: 76 DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2019.04.002

#Autism #eatingdisorders #earlyintervention #ASD