Assessment of Feeding Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Feeding problems are common among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but the assessment of feeding behavior in this population has received little attention. Currently, two of the most promising psychometric assessments of feeding problems in children and adolescents with ASD are the Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI) (Lukens and Linscheid Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 38:342–352, 2008) and the Parent Mealtime Action Scale (PMAS) (Hendy et al. Appetite 52:328–339, 2009). The BAMBI addresses common feeding problems exhibited by children and adolescents with ASD and the PMAS addresses parent behavior associated with child mealtime problem behavior. Additionally, there are direct observation measures that assess feeding problems. The current definition for pediatric feeding problems in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revisions [DSM-IV-TR]; American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2000) is limited and incomplete when assessing feeding problems in children with ASD; however, proposed changes to diagnostic criteria may lead to more accurate assessment of feeding problems in this population.