Preparing your child's eating space
Overview
Creating the right environment for mealtimes can make a big difference, especially for autistic children who may be sensitive to sensory inputs like noise, lighting, and smells. A well-prepared eating area can help reduce anxiety, make your child feel more comfortable, and even support their ability to chew and swallow food. This also includes their seating and posture.
Making mealtimes comfortable
Using a simple checklist can help you create a space that feels safe and predictable for your child. By adjusting things like the noise level, lighting, and smells, you can make mealtimes more enjoyable and help your child focus on eating without feeling overwhelmed by their surroundings.
Have a look at the resource below for some things you can think about and adjust.
Downloadable Resources
Seating and posture
Having a good sitting position is key for children learning to eat. A stable posture helps with trunk control, making it easier to chew, swallow, and breathe, while reducing fidgeting and fatigue. This stability also supports fine motor skills, allowing children to use their fingers or cutlery more effectively, helping them become more independent at meal times. As children try different food textures, their chewing skills develop. While soft foods are easy to manage, solid foods require more advanced tongue movements, like moving food to the back teeth. Advanced eating skills, like chewing meat and vegetables, need ‘rotary chewing’ – a circular grinding motion. Imagine a cow chewing the cud as a very exaggerated example of rotary chewing. Highly processed meats like chicken nuggets are really like pre-chewed meat and don’t need breaking down which is one of the reasons they are so popular. Encouraging children to explore a variety of textures helps improve these skills over time. A well-prepared eating environment plays a big role in supporting these skills. By creating a comfortable, sensory-friendly space, children can focus better on their posture and eating.
Downloadable Resources
Key messages
Watch again
Jump straight to what parents and early years professionals have said about introducing foods and drinks.
