Thanksgiving and Mealtime Precautions
Thanksgiving is the day set aside in the United States and Canada as a day of pausing to reflect all that we are thankful for by connecting with friends and family over good food. It is also the day of taking special precautions when serving people with developmental disabilities.
Aspiration is a huge risk during the holiday season. Factors that place people at risk for aspiration includes the following:
- Being fed by someone else
- Poor chewing or swallowing skills
- Weak or absent coughing/gagging reflexes which is common in people with cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy
- Eating to quickly
- Inappropriate fluid consistency
- Inappropriate food texture
For children and adults with autism, Thanksgiving may be a challenge for a variety of reasons:
- Sensory and emotional overload with large groups
- Picky eaters
- Difficulty with various textures of food
To help you mange Thanksgiving with ease, click on the articles below:
5 simple steps to hosting an autism-friendly Thanksgiving
8 tips for managing Thanksgiving with children with autism
10 genius ways to help your autistic picky eater to eat this Thanksgiving
Autism and Thanksgiving: How to cope with the feasting and hubbub
Feeding kids with sensory processing disorders
Preparing for Thanksgiving on the autism spectrum
Swallowing problems? What to do about Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving dinner ideas for speech therapy activities
Tips for Navigating Thanksgiving on the Spectrum
Updated 08/26/2020