Eating problems are overrepresented in the early symptomatic neurodevelopmental disorders, especially the autism spectrum disorders. The autism spectrum disorders encompass developmental problems in three areas, social interaction, communication, and behavioural flexibility. Eating habits in autism include food refusal, pica, rumination, selective eating, and overeating. Selective eating is probably the most common eating problem in children with an autism spectrum disorder combined with a normal intellectual level. Selective eating can have detrimental effects on nutrition and general wellbeing of the child. Studies on the frequency of eating problems and their genetic and environmental background factors show a substantial overlap between early eating problems and the autism spectrum disorders. In the autism spectrum disorders the background factors to eating disturbances are more complex than in the general child population, and sensory abnormalities, ritualistic behaviours, and social communication problems all seem to contribute. The eating problems are often resistant to treatment, especially if underlying neurodevelopmental problems are neglected. Early eating problems in childhood may be a risk factor for the development of the clinically significant eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, in adolescence and young adulthood. The clinical implications would be that the autism spectrum disorders should not be overlooked in children with eating problems. Conversely, eating problems should be considered in the early symptomatic neurodevelopmental disorders.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorders, pica, rumination, selective eating, eating disorders.

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