Children with autism who have feeding problems may be helped by an interdisciplinary feeding program.

Feeding problems are a pattern of eating that is not normal and causes social or health problems for the patient. The purpose of this study was to see if a feeding program was able to help 46 children with autism who had feeding problems. The children (aged 3 to 12 years) in the study received intense behavior therapy and oral motor therapy. The authors found the program to be a success based upon one follow-up data point for each child. While the program was able to help the children, the authors note that these children had severe feeding issues and were part of a feeding disorders program.