Can't Eat, Won't Eat: Dietary Difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorders

This book is fantastic. As a mother of an 8 year old with Asperger's, it has given me a sense of relief that my son isn't too bad with his limited food choices. The tips on presenting foods will be invaluable. After reading the book, I no longer feel like an inadequate, poor mother who panders to tantrums over food. Thoroughly recommended reading for all parents who have concerns about their childs diet, whether special needs or not. Will also be recommending this book to other family members who criticise when I bring my son's own food to special occasions and outings outside our home environment.

Children on the autistic spectrum can be fussy as well as sensitive eaters. This book aims to provide parents facing these particular sort of difficulties with support and advice. I identified with a lot of things in this book. If you think that other parents, teachers, and health professionals don't, can't and won't understand what it is to have a child so fussy that they would rather starve than eat something the wrong shape or colour, then if nothing else this book will show you that you are not alone.

The book does offer some great tips. However, you don't have to follow the book exactly. Things could back fire. Do what works for your child and don't force anything. There are many suggestions that work such as being persistent and patient. It helped me tremendously with my daughter who has autism. This book was a great inspiration for me on how to help my child find ways to get past her food fears. Now she eats a pretty well balanced diet that includes fruits and veggies and less fried foods. Thanx Brenda!

This book was filled mostly with anecdotes of other familes and their struggles with food and autism. I was expecting more suggestions and things I didn't know or hadn't tried. But it helped to know that we are not alone. And hearing from children and adults with autism was very helpful. It really put things into perspective and know that my children have less problems than others that physically get sick around "offensive" food.Basically the biggest idea in this book was not to give up trying. Eventually you should see some improvement in your child's eating habits.

Welllll.....all I can say is "me too" to the author and thousands of other parents who go through this and being accused of 1) incompetent parenting and or 2) lack of discipline; and, child accused of an "eating disorder" etc. ad nauseum. My child never could drink milk, sensitive to texture, taste, smell and this is all covered in this book. I understood this from the autistic spectrum point of view but others certainly don't!!! I now arm myself with this book when visiting the pediatrician and hand it to people who "know everything better than I do" about how children *should* eat - they lose interest in being critical (but of course don't bother to really read it). My child throughout the week eventually eats enough to have a balanced diet and is very healthy - I respect her sensory difficulties and I respect her. Our children on the spectrum certainly don't need any more hassles than life presents them. Thank you Brenda Legge for putting all this in writing and publication, since docs rarely listen to parents and know everything (ha!)