Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2026 Apr 7:1-17. doi: 10.1080/01942638.2026.2652045. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: This project aimed to (1) Describe feeding self-help skills in autistic children with feeding challenges and (2) Identify the relationships among feeding self-help skills, feeding challenge severity, family mealtime factors, and adaptive behavior.
METHODS: This study used data from a cross-sectional national survey of 358 caregivers of autistic children (ages 2-12 years) with feeding challenges, recruited through a national research registry. Data were captured using validated caregiver-report measures. Descriptive statistics were completed to characterize feeding self-help skills and additional variables within the sample. Pearson’s R correlations were run to investigate relationships among variables.
RESULTS: Feeding self-help skills, feeding challenge severity, and adaptive behavior scores were widely heterogeneous. Overall, children in the study required higher levels of support from caregivers to participate in feeding and had lower adaptive behavior than expected for their age. Significant Pearson r correlations ranging from 0.11 to 0.60 were observed between feeding self-help skills, feeding challenge severity, family mealtime factors, and adaptive behavior.
CONCLUSIONS: Feeding self-help skills and adaptive behavior are essential to evaluate in autistic children with feeding challenges. Future research should explore component skills, (e.g. use of utensils) in addition to behavior and sensory components of feeding to inform child-centered evaluation and intervention.
PMID:41943951 | DOI:10.1080/01942638.2026.2652045
