What should I be aware of when trying new foods? Am I ready to change my eating patterns? How can I eat with other people? Food can come with all sorts of challenges - sensory issues, social pressure, loss of control - and so making choices about what foods to eat, and coping with mealtimes can be stressful - especially when other people are involved. If you are neurodivergent and looking to change your relationship with food, this interactive, accessible guide is the perfect companion. You might stick to the same 'safe' foods all the time, be attached to specific mealtime rituals, or struggle to know whether you are hungry or full. This guide will help you recognise the signs of avoidant eating, cope with food related anxieties and manage sensory overload, as well as the particular social stresses of communal eating. With top tips, a progress tracker, quizzes and worksheets, this is an engaging and informative resource for teens and parents alike.

Many autistic children have a restricted dietary range, and this book provides parents with advice and training on how to support them to achieve a healthier and more balanced diet. Now described as Avoidant or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), it is due to sensory hypersensitivity, and it can impact the child's health, their family life, and their social life. Based on successful training packages the authors provide for parents and professionals, this book enables the reader to understand restrictive eating and work with children, gradually increasing the range of food a child is able to eat. It includes 'box outs' with case studies, points of interest and action points to make this an accessible read full of tips and strategies.

An interactive workbook to support autistic teens, and the adults in their lives, with restricted or avoidant eating, written by a clinical psychologist with 20 years experience in the field.

The relationship between autism and eating disorders is often overlooked or misunderstood. Written by two experienced clinicians working with young people, Autism and Eating Disorders in Teens covers topics including identification of both conditions, diagnosis and the recovery process, challenging current thinking and promoting new ways of working to promote treatment and awareness. Autism and eating disorders often present in similar ways, whether through restrictive or selective eating behaviours, or rigid or obsessive thought patterns. As a result, individuals may receive treatment for one condition with the other - although present - going undiagnosed. This is a practical guide for the adults supporting this group of teens, recommending changes in policy and practice in order to improve the care of young people experiencing these conditions. Drawing on in-depth case studies highlighting the need for young people and their families to feel understood and listened to, the authors show how we can empower these young people to reach their full emotional and physical potential.

Good news for parents of special- needs kids: a proven approach to everyday meals that fosters learning and development. Any parent of a child with autism, Asperger?s, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, or other developmental disabilities knows that special-needs kids often have food sensitivities and can be very fussy eaters. Plus, they?ve been told to avoid such common ingredients as gluten and casein, making it even harder to give them the balanced, healthy meals all children need. Now, Judy Converse, a registered, licensed dietitian, offers new advice and guidance on how to use food as an essential tool for development. Based on the latest research, Special-Needs Kids Eat Right includes: ? Simple substitutions that can be easily customized to suit any child?s needs ? Advice for helping the whole family?along with school staff and caregivers?adjust and take part ? Strategies and tips for staying on track at restaurants, holiday gatherings, school parties and lunches, and overcoming obstacles ? Shopping and resource guides ? A long-term program for measuring progress and making adjustments

This book outlines a new cognitive-behavioral treatment for patients of all age groups with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

This book explores the link between autism and eating disorders through testimonies from practitioners, service users and carers. Combining research findings, case studies and first-hand accounts, it provides insights into how individuals on the autism spectrum can be supported towards full recovery from an eating disorder. Edited by the lead Clinical Psychologist at the Maudsley Eating Disorder National Service, informed by their team's research, chapters focus on the unique issues arising when autism and eating disorders coexist. The contributors suggest treatment adaptations from a multi-disciplinary perspective, and touch more broadly on the topic of poor mental health outcomes for autistic individuals, and how these might be improved.