Considerations with working with People with Autism
Eat For Life Dietetics
I always believe that we are all experts in ourselves. This is true for every person, including people living with Autism. To work effectively with people with autism it is important to be willing to learn to communicate in a way that works for that person, to not just listen but to hear what each person has to say and to be willing to accept feedback from people, because I know that I won’t always get it right straight away.
As a Dietitian there are a few additional considerations that can be important to explore when working with people with Autism. These considerations will be different in each person so it is important to explore them on an individual basis.
Sensory Considerations
People with autism may have heightened sensory responses relating to the textures, look, smell and sounds associated with food. This can lead feeding problems such as reduced variety of foods and possible nutrient deficiencies.
Considerations regarding routines, rituals and resistance to change
People with Autism may prefer repetitive behaviours and routine. Changes to routines and rituals around mealtimes such as eating times, places and types of foods can make mealtimes stressful for some people with Autism.
Interception Considerations
Some people with autism may have problems recognising and responding to internal body states and sensations which means that some people will have trouble recognising when they might feel hungry, full or thirsty. This can lead to dehydration, malnutrition and overeating or binge eating.
Alexithymia
Some people with Autism may have difficulty describing emotions. This can make it hard for people to soothe themselves or to get appropriate support from others. This can lead to food being used as a soothing or coping strategy for some people with autism, which in turn can lead to development of eating disorders such as anorexia or binge eating.
