Just Take a Bite is a much-needed guide to overcoming food aversions and eating challenges, particularly common among children on the autism spectrum. Lori Ernsperger and Tania Stegen-Hanson discuss how to implement a comprehensive treatment plan to maintain a balanced diet through coaxing and encouraging problem-eaters to try new foods. They emphasise 'just taking a bite' - trying new food once, in small quantities, despite reservations or even fear about its appearance or texture. The authors also offer strategic and practical tips on how to minimise disruptive mealtime behaviour, providing simple and effective solutions to psychological food dislikes, such as controlling the environmental factors of discipline, tension among siblings, table manners, and portion size. Ernsperger and Stegen-Hanson's approach to fussy eaters is sensitive, pragmatic and forward thinking, aiming to widen children's limited food tastes, broaden their concept of trying new foods and enable them to accept invitations to eat with friends, expressing their likes and dislikes politely. Offering help on how to transform your child from a resistant eater to an experimental eater, this book is invaluable in its practicality.

Author Biography

Lori Ernsperger has more than 17 years experience working in public schools as an autism and behavioural consultant and a teacher. She has had extensive training working with students who have behaviour disorders, particularly those on the autism spectrum. She has a bachelors, masters and doctorate in Special Education. Tania Stegen-Hanson is a paediatric occupational therapist. She has over 10 years experience in therapy, consultation and in-service training to school systems and private practices in South Africa and the USA. She is the owner of the Achievement Therapy Centre, a paediatric occupational therapy practice in Las Vegas. She specialises in sensory integration therapy, oral-motor therapy, neuro-developmental therapy and feeding disorders.