'A blender without the lid on': Mealtime experiences of caregivers with a child with autism spectrum disorder in South Africa.
Skye N Adams, Raeesa Verachia, Kim Coutts
PMID 33179942WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers prioritise family connection over food variety.
Most struggle with children refusing to sit at the table, not just picky eating. Financial stress from cooking two meals and social isolation due to lack of support are major burdens. Interventions should target seating and family routine, not just food acceptance.
Key findings
0186% of caregivers identified eating at the table with the family as the most pertinent issue, valuing social connection over specific food preferences.
02Financial strain is a significant challenge for 70% of caregivers, often resulting in the need to prepare separate meals for the child and the rest of the family.
03Caregivers frequently use strategies such as television, negotiating with rewards, or ignoring negative behaviour to manage mealtimes, rather than focusing solely on expanding the child's diet.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used a self-administered questionnaire without follow-up interviews, limiting the depth of understanding. Participants were required to be literate in English, excluding many South African families who speak other languages. All children were attending school, so findings may not apply to children who are not in an educational setting. The sample was predominantly mothers (84.6%), potentially missing perspectives from fathers or other caregivers.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high rates of picky eating and financial stress as evidence that standard feeding therapies are ineffective. The study reports caregiver experiences and priorities, such as the desire for family seating over food variety, rather than testing clinical outcomes.