Books for Parents on Eating and Related Issues

Food and Your Special Needs Child by Antonia Chitty and Victoria Dawson. – ‘The joy of the books are that they are useful for special needs and also non special needs children.  By talking through various developmental stages and also where those stages get “stuck”, there is plenty to learn for all parents…a great, practical read for all families.’ Practically Imperfect Parenting. ISBN-13: 978-0719807909

The Cook Book for Children With Special Needs: Learning a life skills with fun, tasty, healthy recipes by Deborah French and Leah Ehrlich. – Learning to cook not only equips children with a valuable life skill, but will help boost self-esteem in other areas of their lives. Parents and carers will find cooking with children with special needs to be enjoyable and rewarding with this book, which thoroughly prepares the child for the cooking experience. ISBN-13: 978-1849055383

Can’t Eat, Won’t Eat – Dietary Difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorders by Brenda Legge. – Finding out that your child has Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism can be devastating enough, but when you discover that he or she won’t eat 99.9 per cent of all food and drink in the known universe, the fun really starts. This was the situation the author found herself in a decade ago when her son first took a dislike to milk, and then to virtually every other substance she attempted to feed him. Her book was written to reassure other parents that there are lots of people out there in the same boat, and to suggest practical methods of dealing with the problem. As well as drawing on her own experience, the author has spoken to parents, children, and professionals with first-hand knowledge of dietary difficulties, and their advice and comments form a key part of the book.  Brenda Legge is a freelance writer. She has written extensively on home improvement and DIY topics and has also written fiction for children and worked on medical and catering trade journals. Her son, Harry, has Asperger Syndrome. ISBN: 978-1853029745

What To Feed An Asperger by Sarah Patten – Packed with essential tips and tricks for getting Asperger kids to eat a varied and nutritious diet, this book provides recipes for healthy meals given the Asperger seal of approval, as well as advice for making mealtime routines, family dining and eating out as stress-free as possible.  A must-read for parents who want to help their children overcome food avoidance and sensory sensitivities. Sarah Patten is mother to a son with Asperger Syndrome.  In this book she describes how, through a combination of love, patience and a little sleight of hand, she managed to get her son to go from eating just three bland white foods to eating a colourful and nourishing diet including fruit and vegetables.  Sarah and her family live in Tunbridge Wells, UK.  ISBN: 978-1849057684

Websites for Food Disorders, Diet & Aiding SEND Conditions

Beat – Eating Disorders – Has a Helpline

Lets Get Sugar Smart NHS – Change4Life is here to help your family be healthier and happier. Find out more about what’s really in the food your family eats.

Essential Aids Website – Here you will find items suitable for children with a range of disabilities. Cutlery and other eating aids, like cups, bowls and specially designed aids for kids.

NHS Eating Disorders – Includes all types of eating disorders and how to get help.

ADHD and Diet NHS

Chichester Speech and Language Therapists – Can aid in feeding via referral, e.g. choke avoidance.

Fruit Image – Licensed via Creative Commons 2.0 SA by Micheal Stern