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How Good Nutrition Can Transform Lives: A Guide for Families of Individuals with Special Needs

Author: Sally Shi-po POON, Registered Dietitian

 

Caring for someone with special needs is both rewarding and challenging. Small successes—like introducing a new food, improving sleep, or alleviating digestive discomfort—can make a significant difference in daily life. Yet, many caregivers may overlook the profound impact that nutrition can have on these outcomes.

Having worked closely with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Down’s syndrome, and other developmental conditions, I’ve witnessed firsthand how tailored nutrition can improve physical health, enhance behaviour, and boost overall well-being.

Let’s explore the science and practical strategies that can help individuals with special needs thrive.

Common Nutritional Challenges and Solutions

  1. Digestive Issues

Many individuals with special needs experience digestive problems, such as constipation, bloating, or diarrhoea. These issues can affect mood, behaviour, sleep, and overall quality of life.

Practical Dietary Solutions:

  • Increase Fibre Gradually: Incorporate fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains to support bowel regularity.
  • Add Probiotics: Include fermented foods like yogurt, natto, or kimchi to promote a balanced gut microbiome. Consult a healthcare provider before introducing supplements.
  • Stay Hydrated: Ensure sufficient water intake to prevent constipation and support digestion.

Addressing digestive problems can improve comfort, behaviour, and overall well-being.

  1. Picky Eating

Picky eating is particularly common among children with ASD or ADHD due to sensory sensitivities to textures, tastes, or smells. This can lead to prolonged, stressful mealtimes and a limited diet.

Strategies to Manage Picky Eating:

  • Set Time Limits: Keep meal durations to 20–30 minutes. Use a timer and explain to the child, “When the timer rings, mealtime is over.” Avoid offering snacks later to encourage timely eating.
  • Create a Routine: Designate an eating space and establish pre-meal routines, such as washing hands, to signal it’s time to eat.
  • Set Clear Expectations: Use simple rules like “Stay seated while eating” and “No toys or screens at the table.” Praise positive behaviour with specific feedback, e.g., “Great job trying a new food today!”
  • Minimise Distractions: Turn off background noise and remove unrelated items from the table to help the child focus on eating.
  • Align Caregiver Practices: Ensure all caregivers follow the same mealtime rules to avoid confusion and ensure consistency.

When to Seek Help: If picky eating persists, consult a dietitian, occupational therapist, or feeding therapist for specialised strategies.

  1. Misguided Dietary Restrictions

Some families eliminate foods such as eggs, dairy, gluten, or nuts based on unproven methods like IgG food sensitivity tests. However, such restrictions are often unnecessary unless recommended by a healthcare professional. Removing entire food groups without evidence can lead to nutrient deficiencies and increased stress during meal planning.

Steps to Take:

  • Consult a licensed allergist or healthcare provider if you suspect a food allergy or intolerance.
  • Focus on a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-rich foods unless advised otherwise by a medical professional.

Reputable organisations, including the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, discourage the use of IgG testing to diagnose food allergies or sensitivities due to a lack of scientific evidence.

  1. Managing Side Effects of Psychiatric Medications

Medications prescribed for ADHD or behavioural challenges, such as stimulants or antipsychotics, can impact appetite, weight, and overall nutrition.

Common Side Effects:

  • Stimulants: May reduce appetite, leading to weight loss or nutrient deficiencies.
  • Antipsychotics: Often increase appetite, resulting in weight gain and raising the risk of obesity and related conditions.

What Families Can Do:

  • Monitor Appetite: Track eating patterns and consult a dietitian to adjust portion sizes or meal timing.
  • For Reduced Appetite: Offer nutrient-dense options like smoothies, nut butters, and full-fat dairy in small portions.
  • For Increased Appetite: Focus on low-calorie, high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to manage weight.
  • Encourage Physical Activity: Regular exercise can promote a healthy weight, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being.
  1. Fast Eating Behaviours

Some individuals with neurodiverse conditions may eat too quickly because of sensory sensitivities or impulsivity. This can lead to overeating, poor digestion, or bloating.

Tips to Slow Down Eating:

  • Encourage thorough chewing and sipping water between bites.
  • Use smaller utensils or serve smaller portions to naturally slow the pace of eating.
  • Create a calm, distraction-free environment to promote mindful eating.
  • Model slow eating behaviours by eating together as a family.

Slowing down during meals enhances digestion, helps individuals recognise fullness, and makes mealtimes more enjoyable.

  1. Food Additives and Hyperactivity

Research, such as the Southampton Study (2007), suggests that certain artificial food additives may contribute to hyperactivity in sensitive children. The effects, however, are small and not universal.

Problematic Additives:

  • Sunset Yellow (E110)
  • Quinoline Yellow (E104)
  • Carmoisine (E122)
  • Allura Red (E129)
  • Tartrazine (E102)
  • Ponceau 4R (E124)

Practical Steps:

  • Keep a food diary to track patterns between diet and behaviour.
  • Focus on whole foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
  • Read labels and avoid products containing the identified additives if sensitivity is suspected.
  1. The Gut-Brain Axis

The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system between the digestive system and the brain. A healthy gut microbiome has been linked to several benefits for individuals with special needs, including:

  • Improved digestion and reduced discomfort.
  • Better mood regulation via serotonin production.
  • Enhanced sleep quality through melatonin regulation.
  • Potential reductions in challenging behaviours like irritability or aggression.

Gut Health and Immunity:

Around 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, where it helps regulate inflammation and strengthen the body’s defences. A healthy gut microbiome can also lower the risk of allergic conditions like eczema and hay fever in children.

Final Thoughts

Good nutrition is a cornerstone of improved health and well-being for individuals with special needs. By addressing specific challenges—whether related to digestion, eating habits, or medication side effects—families can create meaningful changes in daily life.

Early intervention is key. Building healthy habits during childhood lays the foundation for lifelong physical and emotional well-being. With patience, creativity, and professional support, families can empower their loved ones to thrive.

Together, we can build a brighter, healthier future—one meal at a time.

 

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5 Essential Nutrients To Keep Your Immune System Strong

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

 

 

Article by Sally Shi-po POON (Registered Dietitian)

 

Lately, I have received many inquiries about food and nutrition related to the COVID-19/ Coronavirus pandemic. Put simply, there is no specific food or supplement will prevent you from catching COVID-19. Good personal hygiene practice, such as washing hands frequently and wearing surgical masks, remains one of the means of avoiding infection. In addition, the local government has urged the public to go out less and reduce social gatherings at this stage.

 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the best step you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system strong and healthy. This can be achieved through regular exercise, adequate rest and a balanced diet. There are many nutrients that are involved with the normal functioning of the immune system such as these:

 

1.Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for normal vision and immune function. It also helps the lungs and other organs function properly. Food sources of vitamin A include liver, spinach, sweet potato, squash, carrots, cantaloupe, apricots, and mangos. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin so it is better absorbed when you eat it with healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays a key role in immune function. Consuming five varied servings of fruits and vegetables a day can help you achieve recommended amounts of vitamin C. Food sources of vitamin C include guava, kiwifruits, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes.

3. Vitamin E

Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and our body needs vitamin E to maintain its immune system healthy. Vegetable oils (such as wheat germ, sunflower, and corn oils), nuts (like almonds and peanuts), seeds (such as sunflower seeds and sesame seeds), and avocado are excellent sources of vitamin E.

4. Zinc

Zinc plays an important role in immune function. Older people who have low levels of zinc might have a higher risk of getting pneumonia. Zinc is found in many foods and you can get recommended amounts of zinc by eating a variety of foods including oysters, crab, lobster, beef, pork, chicken, baked beans, cashews, pumpkin seeds, oatmeal, yogurt, and cheese.

5. Iron

Iron deficiency anaemia can impair immune function and make you less able to fight off germs and infections. You can get recommended amounts of iron by eating a variety of foods including red meat, seafood, poultry, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, lentils and legumes, spinach, nuts, and raisins. Your body absorbs iron from plant-based sources better when you eat it with foods that contain vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwifruit, and tomatoes.

 


Photo by S’well on Unsplash
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Why A Colourful Diet Is Good For You

By Sally Shi-po POON (Registered Dietitian)

We’re always hearing that we should “eat the rainbow”, but what does that mean and why is a colourful diet so highly recommended by dietitians all over the world? Not only are they appealing, the phytochemicals that give foods their colour are packed with nutritional benefits. I have grouped the foods into 5 categories according to their predominant phytochemical group: red, orange, green, purple, and white.

 

1. Red

Lycopene is the predominant pigment in red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruits. It is a powerful antioxidant that may help prevent prostate cancer and heart diseases. Lycopene is better absorbed when it is cooked with some oil, such as tomato sauce with olive oil.

 

Astaxanthin, which is found in the red pigment of crab, salmon and prawns, has been found to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Its antioxidant activity was found to be 10 times more than zeaxanthin, lutein and beta-carotene.

 

2. Orange

Beta-carotene is a pigment found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, such as carrot, cantaloupe melon, mangoes, orange peppers, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes. In the body, beta-carotene converts into vitamin A, which is needed for good vision, a strong immune system, and healthy skin. Food processing and cooking help release beta-carotene from the food matrix and make it easier to absorb. Moreover, its absorption requires the presence of fat in a meal, such as canola oil, almonds, flaxseed or pumpkin seeds.

 

3. Green

Green cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and kale are good sources of sulforaphane and glucosinolate, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  These vegetables also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which may help protect eyes from sunlight damage and reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin are better absorbed with fats, so be sure to eat the vegetables with some avocado, cheese, walnuts, sunflower seeds or olive oil. Green vegetables are also excellent sources of vitamin K and folic acid. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy, and vitamin K plays a major role in blood clotting.

 

4. Purple

Anthocyanins are pigments that appear purple or blue, which are found in eggplant (especially the skin), blueberries, blackberries, prunes, plums, black rice, purple sweet potato, and purple cauliflower. The darker the colour, the higher the anthocyanins concentration. Boiling vegetables can increase the loss of water-soluble nutrients such as anthocyanins and vitamin C, therefore baking and steaming are preferred as they can retain more of the nutrients, as well as the flavour and colour.

 

5. White

Anthoxanthins are the white or colourless pigments found in bananas, cauliflower, garlic, shallots, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, and turnips, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease.  Garlic contains allicin, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and heart-protective properties. Allicin is produced when fresh garlic is finely chopped or crushed. Garlic provides an alternative to salt in cooking, along with other herbs and spices. Eating less salt is important for preventing high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke.

 

Including a variety of colourful foods in your diet seems to equal better overall health.  Start planning some colourful recipes tonight and have a healthy start in 2018!

 

Sally’s Nutrition Blog @ Hong Kong Tatler:  https://hk.asiatatler.com/life/why-a-colourful-diet-is-good-for-you#page-1

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