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Examining the Eating Habits of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development with Regards to Certain Demographic Variables

Eating problems may emerge during early childhood. If the eating problem is not physiological-oriented, child's relationship with its primary environment may be effective in this problem. For this reason, the aim of this study was to examine the eating habits of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typical development (TD) with regards to the variables like child’s age, parental age, and presence of siblings. Parents of a total of 180 children (90 with ASD and 90 with TD), who are enrolled in preschools, special education centers, and rehabilitation centers in Ankara-TURKEY, participated in the study. The Brief Assessment of Mealtime Behavior in Children (BAMBIC) and The Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) were used to identify children’s eating habits. In addition, a personal information form was used to gather demographic information of the participants. The data obtained from 180 parents were analyzed with the help of relevant statistical programs. According to the results, children with ASD have more food refusal and disruptive behavior at mealtime at the age of 3. The children with ASD and with TD of mothers aged 20-29 years have more food refusal at mealtime. On the other hand, those who have at least one sibling among the ones with ASD show more enjoyment of food and food responsiveness than typically developing ones with no sibling.