Answer Summary

Members offered practical advice to a parent whose 5-year-old son with autism was struggling with poor weight gain and extremely selective... Read more

Members offered practical advice to a parent whose 5-year-old son with autism was struggling with poor weight gain and extremely selective eating, with the most frequently recommended solution being protein shakes like Ensure or Pediasure mixed gradually into his regular milk to avoid detection. Several members shared creative strategies for sneaking nutrients past a suspicious eater, including pureeing vegetables or chicken into rice, adding butter to meals, using powdered supplements in capsule form that can be opened and mixed into food, and gradually introducing new foods through repeated exposure without pressure. A recurring theme was patience and persistence, acknowledging that children with autism often have heightened sensory sensitivities to smell and texture, and that building food acceptance requires small steps, consistent routines, and celebrating even tiny victories along the journey.