We rarely have to think about eating as a skill but it is in fact a learned skill and the child with special needs often needs extra support to develop independent eating skills. Children eat at various levels of ability and independence. Encourage dependent eaters (children who need physical support) to make small step progress towards independent eating:
- Child to open his/her mouth before you bring the food to your child’s mouth.
- Encourage attempts at self-feeding by exploring finger food with their hands.
- Child holds his/her own spoon whilst being fed.
- Hand-over-hand support to bring the spoon to his/her mouth.
- Physical prompts on the elbow or wrist to bring the spoon to his/her mouth.
- Scoop food onto the spoon and give your child only verbal reminders to feed him/herself.
These are some of the basic steps to follow in developing independent eating skills. Keep in mind that in some cases children may have swallowing difficulties and will have an unsafe swallow. Speech and language therapists can offer guidance and support regarding food texture, amount, spoon size, consistency, etc.
If your child is ready he/she can be encouraged to take responsibility for his/her own eating habits:
- Teach your child to categories food into the correct food groups (fruit, vegetables, meat & protein, carbohydrates, dairy)
- Encourage your child to practice designing his/her own daily menus. Keep in mind that this activity will need a lot of support and direction, e.g. limit the foods and amounts your child can choose from.
- Involve your child in making his/her own meals. (as many steps as possible and learning to read & follow a recipe if appropriate)
- Your child can also be given the opportunity to help make shopping lists for his/her menus and take part in shopping.
- Teach your child very clear rules on how to choose treats during the week. Sensory stories, social stories and charts are great tools to help children learn healthy eating habits.