Just Take a Bite: Easy, Effective Answers to Food Aversions and Eating Challenges!

Every parent has experienced the problem of their child refusing to eat foods from a specific food group and the stress of meal time turning into a battle of wills between parent and child. Then there are those children who become anxious or even frightened of eating new foods that they've never encountered before. "Just Take A Bite: Easy, Effective Answers To Food Aversions And Eating Challenges" is an ideal instruction manual for parents who find themselves having to deal with just such reluctant or picky eaters. Co-authored by autism and behavioral consultant Lori Ernsperger and pediatric occupational therapist Tania Stegen-Hanson, "Just Take A Bit offers a wealth of simple, practical, step-by-step, effective strategies that parents can employ to have their children eating a balanced and nutritious diet and resolve those mealtime difficulties and challenges. Succinctly organized into ten chapters, "Just Take A Bit" covers identifying resistant eaters; oral-motor development; environmental and behavioral factors contribution to problems with eating; sensory-based and motor-based problems affective the resistant eater; motor-based eating problems vs. sensory-based eating problems; designing and implementing a comprehensive treatment plan; environmental controls; gastrointestinal, physical and oral-motor development; and stages of sensory development for eating. Of special note is the tenth chapter on 'A Recipe for Success' cover cultural factors, medical issues, older children, and allergy-related diets. In addition to concerned parents, "Just Take A Bite" is also very highly recommended as a resource for daycare center personnel and any other professionals having mealtime responsibilities for children who are 'reluctant eaters'.

I think this is a terrific resource. No, it's probably not cutting-edge for a professional, but that's not the audience, which is intended to be broader. My daughter was extremely overselective as a young child--she's merely extraordinarily picky as a 10-year-old. Just by browsing the book, I've gotten a number of ideas about how to expand her food repertoire. She's alerady eating more fruit than she had been a few weeks ago. The book also does a good job of reassuring parents who've been subjected to the same damn food myths ("If she's hungry enough, she'll eat." Not my kid).

This book came highly recommended to me by a friend who works with children who have a variety of different special needs. She pointed out that it picks up where a lot of books about eating challenges and "picky eating" behaviors leave off, dealing with the child whose food repertoire may consist of two or three foods; and who may be facing significant physical/behavioral or other challenges that interfere with the process of eating. I was immediately impressed by the book because it was so detailed and solutions-oriented. Not only do the authors present practical tips, ideas, and solutions that apply to specific situations: they include case studies that show how families can apply them. The book also includes helpful illustrations designed to help parents understand the postural control and other body exercises that are explained in the text. Highly recommended.

The cover of Just Take a Bite is adorable. My nine-year old son has severe autism, is non-verbal and has feeding deficits. For three years now he has been attending feeding therapy. The chapter covering the stages of sensory development for eating was very informative. This is very similar to what has been utilized in the feeding therapy we attend on a weekly basis. The case studies are highlighted in gray throughout the chapters. The ages range from babies through elementary age. Issues covered include steps to create a meal or snack schedule, awareness of movement, limited communication skills, vestibular movement, behavioral factors and visual stimuli. Each chapter has a gray box with an exercise in eating, which are tips and guidelines for the specific area being discussed. There is a table listing textures with a description, example of foods with this texture and how the child can succeed with these textures. You begin with three new foods to the child. The procedures and materials are all listed for the steps. The cue cards are in black and white and a bit advanced for my son. This is the perfect book for preschoolers and toddlers who are resistant eaters. There are many activities for the preschool aged child to explore with a parent, teacher or therapist. The section on food jags is reassuring to parents. This is a great first book to read in the area of eating issues. I wish this had been published several years earlier so we could have progressed quicker. If you think your child needs feeding therapy - Just Take a Bite should be read so you can start implementing these suggestions.

Just Take A Bite is a fabulous book for parents and caregivers dealing with children who are problem eaters. It dispels the common myth that all children will eat when hungry, and clearly describes how certain environmental problems, physical problems, and sensory problems may hinder a child's eating. The explanations of these underlying issues are thorough and understandable. Practical solutions are provided with remarkably clear instructions as to implementing these strategies on your own. I highly recommend this book for parents whose mealtimes have been negatively affected by a child's behavior.