Dificuldades alimentares de crianças com transtorno do espectro autista atendidas pelo atendimento educacional especializado.

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in communication and social interaction, including deficits in social reciprocity and non-verbal communication behaviors. Neurodivergent children tend to exhibit a higher prevalence of feeding difficulties, such as food selectivity—one of the most common feeding issues among children with ASD. This study aims to evaluate the feeding behavior of children diagnosed with ASD, or currently under investigation for it, within the school system of Cuité, Paraíba (PB). It is a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional field study involving 102 parents or guardians of children receiving Specialized Educational Support (AEE); of these children, 79 had a diagnosis of ASD or were under investigation. Data were collected using sociodemographic questionnaires and the "Labirinto" Scale for Assessing Feeding Behavior in ASD. Results show that the majority of the children were male (71.6%), with a mean age of 8.4 ± 3.2 years, and 48% had a confirmed ASD diagnosis. Regarding the parents/guardians, 95.1% were female, with a mean age of 37.4 ± 8.7 years, and 82.4% resided in Cuité, PB. Concerning the feeding behavior of children with ASD or those under investigation, a high prevalence of food selectivity was observed: 60.8% avoided eating vegetables and greens, 63.3% removed seasonings from their food, and 58.2% avoided eating fruit. The study concludes that children with ASD exhibit significant alterations in feeding behavior, particularly regarding food selectivity. These findings underscore the need for early and continuous nutritional monitoring, as well as interdisciplinary interventions involving families, schools, and health services. Furthermore, there is a need to implement public policies and nutritional interventions for the population of Cuité, PB.