Parent of two of these on the spectrum! This article is 100 % accurate!

I promise you if you follow this advice it will work!

I promise you if you follow this advise you will see IMPROVEMENT, i.e. In so much as your kiddo will get closer to the neighbors kids! If you do not, then, you will raise a picky eater.
You could end up only having Mcdonalds chicken nuggets, or only having one food for every meal! You will have kids with tantrums! You will make "special " meals for your kids and cook for you and the rest of the family!

The worst part is your child will show the results of this by their health! Their skin, hair, nails, and body weight will immediately show you what is happening at meals. Then, you will get the end result of the fun of out-of-control behavior with a very cranky kiddo and you will have one who has horrible sleep patterns and one that has such potty issues that you worry terribly . .....

Sorry, this all goes with Autism and sensory!

So, here goes....
Both my kids showed allergies and reflux from the beginning. To food, meds, environment etc.
then they had issues with how they ate, what they ate, then their little elimination systems were out of whack! Their behavior and sleep and overall health was completely tied to all of this!

Then, the school days started and their education and ability to pay attention showed effects of their diets and sleep and health and oh my.........

So, I stepped up paid complete and accurate attention to everything they ate and how it affected them, everyday and how they responded to each attempt I made! I stood up at the doctor(s) office at got the answers I needed! I lived on the web! I argued with the docs and such that said "fix any meal and just put the food out and when they get hungry enough they will eat! THIS IS BALOONEY,! This was from a certified nutritionist at a children's university! Told me not to worry! Son had been born vomiting, daughter gagged cereal and seemed to possibly having seizures to food? Not worry! I swallowed and left more determined then ever!

So, do not stress out the kiddos! I never, ever made it a fight! I immediately liked the soeech gal at the time we had! She had research for refux and this stuff and proof that you do everything in your power to make it into a "piece of cake" versus a fight or war! So, at speech we went into the kitchen and played with food at the table. We got it onto the table and as close to the kid as possible! You want them to handle it on the table, then handle touching it then handle a taste etc. And, no mater where you go have a cup or a child can be shown that they/you will take it from them into a napkin to dispose off. We never had to do this spit cup at the table, but I had that option in my MOMMA bag of ideas if needed! I always was very encouraging when they tried anything! Like or not liked, I stressed good job, all I ask is that you try for me! Neither of my kids had much language then, so yes things were trickier for our family! Yes, we had well meaning family and friends that pissed me off! Stick to your guns!

Today! My kids still have some obvious taste and texture issues, and even temperature issues! But, they literally try almost everything and are some of the best eaters of even our friends NORMAL KIDS!

Still today, I appreciate that they give things a chance! We have worked with both, to give them beginning words of like/ not like to learn to express their desires at meals. Our oldest now will say things like, um... I didn't really care for the taste of that! Our youngest, who was mute, has had more speech issues. We have worked hard and she currently is learning no thank you, more or no more, and has just started working in saying if she likes or not certain things. She is now able to voice these responses!

Speech does effect eating, autism and or motor delays affect eating and swallowing and tons more, maturity could be the whole thing for you! Are they ready?

I always looked at their reactions and felt about how they felt first and then I went to work!

I could say "oh, they will only eat chicken nuggets". Seemed very silly to me a small itty bitty child had the whole family searching for nuggets daily! What the heck! My kiddos never new how hard I worked to win this battle, I never made it into a power struggle! Me right or them LISTEN to mom! I was the undercover food cop, who did a hell of a job! Best wishes, I have faith in you! Just use your love, it is the strongest weapon you have! Good luck! Ps, when you see a toddler roll a piece of meat out of their mouth(often) and you could have sworn they should be done and how the heck did they separate that tiny cube from the rest of the bites and you stare at it every time on the tray.... Then think of this, here, laugh, and get to work.... It has just begun!,,,, ps, we still are amazed at how he did that and tell the story still after 13 years! I was very, very scared parent at that time! I believe in myself now! Take care!