THINKSTOCK including thepediatrician , registered dietitian ( RD ), speech language pathologist and atherapist .
“ Each of these professionalswill help the parentsand thechild in their individual roles ,” she says . “ TheRD willbeabletoassess whether the child is meeting his / her individual needs , which nutrients are lackingin thediet , and find alternative ways to meetthose needs .”
Registitered dietitian Peta Cohen , aclinical nutritionist and metabolic specialist for 20 years , withapractice , Total Life Center , inEnglewood , suggests trying to identifythe underlying causes forachild ’ s refusal to eat .
“ For example , itcould be reflux , a food intoleranceorasensory component ,” she says . As an example , she pointsout thatwhenachild refuses to eat meat , itcouldbebecause they have lowtone in theirjaw or that the meatmay tastemetallic due to low zinc levels in thechild ’ sbody .
Levysuggests that parentstry to involve children in theplanning , shopping andpreparationoffoods . If the child doesnot like it , donot get frustrated . Keep trying because “ it very well mayhelp the childeventually become more willing to trysomething new ,” she says .
Another strategy to tryathome is to keep mealtimes consistent .“ That means to eat meals at the same time each day , use the same plates , bowls andutensils , and have thechild decide which seathewill use for every meal ,” Levy says .
Levy stresses that good nutrition is essential for an autisticchild . “ It can make every aspect of the child ’ slife a bit easier ,” she says . “ It can be easier to learn and help with theiremotional state .” However , due to the fact that an autistic child may eliminate whole food
groups due to texture , sensory processing or sensitivity to taste , thesekids often have nutritional deficiencies .
Many families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD ) try dietary therapy , which is increasingor avoidingcertain foods . Levy says , “ Studies suggestthat certain foods can aggravatesymptoms in an ASD child . These are foods that contain artificial dyes and preservatives , artificial flavoringsorsweeteners , andfoods containinghigh fructose corn syrup .”
Aregistered dietician can workwith the family to helpthem understand what to look for while readingthe foodlabel and how to choose whole , all-natural foods . Cohen is passionate about this issueand helps herpatients determinewhatthe righttherapeutic dietisfor them , based upon their individualneeds .
“ I treat people , not conditions ,” she says . Cohen choosesanelimination dietthat “ focuses on the unique needs of the individual , whichcould include gluten , protein in casein , aswell as >
2016 EDITION | SPECIAL PARENT
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