Extremely restricted diet or selective eating

Does my child have an extremely restricted diet?

When dietitians talk about children with an extremely restricted diet, we mean children who may have only a few accepted foods that they will eat each day. They might not eat at all if they are not offered their accepted or preferred foods. They may only eat foods from 1 or 2 of the main food groups (often carbohydrates) and sometimes restrict themselves to certain textures. Some children may not feel hungry or interested in food, they may even be fearful or disgusted by certain foods.

An extremely restricted diet tends to have a big impact on the child and their family in day-to-day life.

Below are some resources with ideas for you and your child to try, and to help you get a better understanding of children with an extremely restricted diet:

• Help for children who are extremely fussy eaters by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
• Sheffield Children’s hospital speech and language therapists have an excellent range of resources about restricted eating: we strongly recommend that you look at their Universal Support and Targeted Support and read any relevant links in the section called Children and young people who avoid or refuse food
• Steps to Eating: Overcoming a restricted diet
• Messy food play with infants
• Exploring food with a restricted diet
• Keeping mealtimes positive
• Stargold Foundation 32 Steps To Eating
• Sensory play toolkit

Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)

Children with an extremely restricted diet are likely to need a vitamin and mineral supplement. We can offer ideas to help parents and carers get children started on a supplement. For information, please see our resource on micronutrient supplementation (vitamins and minerals) for children with a restricted or selective diet.

What about autism and restricted eating?

Eating problems are more common in people with autism: follow the links below for specific advice relevant to people with autism.

• National Autistic Society: Eating
• Beyond Autism: Autism and eating
• Beyond Autism: Food chaining in detail: Food modifications

What help is there for children who refuse to brush their teeth?

Some children are very sensitive and may find the feeling of a toothbrush or foaming toothpaste quite disturbing. Below are suggestions for adapted toothbrushes and non-foaming toothpaste.

• Dr. Barman’s Superbrush – the unique 3 sided toothbrush
• oraNurse non foaming toothpaste