Classic Rebroadcast: Autism and Eating Disorders with Dr. Keith Williams

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Next up in the Classic Rebroadcast Series is a favorite episode with Dr. Keith Willams, BCBA-D and Director of the Hershey Medical Center Feeding Program. Dr. Williams helped me while I was writing the solving picky eating chapter in my book, Turn Autism Around. In this episode recorded in 2020, we cover all things autism and eating disorders. Whether you want to know more about feeding therapy, what to do if your child or clients aren’t eating, or if selective eating might be making a child sick, you don’t want to miss this episode.

Is Picky Eating a Sign of Autism?

A very common concern among parents of children with autism is eating. In fact, it’s such a common concern that it’s become a diagnosis marker for the autism spectrum, with most individuals having some form of selective eating. Many parents want to pass healthy eating habits on to their children, but the limited diets their children prefer are causing severe malnourishment, weight gain or loss, and in some cases, impaired learning. A behavioral approach to solving feeding issues is very different from the oral sensory motor approach, but whatever program you choose is not going to be very successful if the child isn’t tasting the food.

Hershey Medical Center Feeding Program

Dr. Keith Williams at the Hershey Medical Center Feeding Program has taught a parent-oriented approach to feeding, which means he teaches parents how to teach their children what to eat. He shares some of his short-term and long-term approaches for helping children with autism. He’ll answer some questions that are common in the autism community, like:

  • Should you feed your child snacks?
  • Are smoothies an acceptable way to get vegetables into a diet?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of hiding vitamins and medicine in food?
  • What are the long-term problems associated with poor eating habits?

Autism and Iron Deficiency

Within Dr. Williams’ clinic at Hershey Medical Center, he’s seen children with scurvy, pellagra, rickets, and iron deficiency, but he knows how hard it can be to diagnose children with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Dr. Williams goes over the blood work required to diagnose these deficiencies. He shares some physical clues that he looks for in his patients’ bodies, but he also talks about the clues he finds in his patients’ diets.

Be sure to check back next week for a follow-up episode with our current Top 5 frequently asked questions all about autism and feeding!

Classic Rebroadcast: Autism and Eating Disorders with Dr. Keith Williams

Dr. Keith Williams on Turn Autism Around Podcast

Dr. Keith Williams has been the Director of the Feeding Program at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center for 23 years. He is a licensed psychologist and a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. In addition to providing direct clinical service, he supervises two Master’s-level therapists. Dr. Williams has over 60 publications, including three books, in the area of childhood feeding problems and pediatric nutrition. Dr. Williams presents at regional, national, and international conferences. He was recently a Fulbright Specialist at the National University of Ireland. Dr. Williams provides outreach training to community providers both locally and nationally. Dr. Williams is a Professor of Pediatrics at the Penn State College of Medicine. He teaches residents, medical students, and graduate students. Dr. Williams has been active with the Pennsylvania Association of Behavior Analysis (PennABA) serving as both president and member-at-large. He is the incoming Executive Director.

H: (717) 625-3285

W: (717) 531-7117

M: (717) 466-4092

H: [email protected]

W: feedingprogram@[email protected]

kwilliams2@[email protected]

You’ll Learn

  • Is picky eating a common sign of autism?
  • How and when to supplement for children who are very picky eaters.
  • Mary’s suggestions for how to give medicine or vitamins to reluctant eaters.
  • Signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies for iron, vitamin C & D, niacin, B12, and folate.
  • The two-pronged approach in which Dr. Williams teaches children with autism to eat.
  • The parent centered approach at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Feeding Program.

Resources

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays