Resumen de Avaliação Comportamental da Aceitação Alimentar de Crianças com TEA

Jaqueline de Paiva Burrego, Aline Pinheiro Ferraz, Vanessa Ramos Silva, Adriana Machado-Lima, Rafael Diego Modenesi

• English

  Some children within the autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have been reported to have atypical feeding disorder, like selective preferences for particular foods or food texture. Ahearn et al. (2001) developed a procedure to evaluate the eating habits of children with autism. The present study evaluated the food acceptance of children within the autistic spectrum disorder, thus adapting Ahearn et al. (2001) procedure’s to Brazilian culture. Six children, ages 3 to 14 years, with ASD and receiving educational services from a specialized institution. Previously, those responsible for the participants answered a questionnaire about the participants’ eating habits. The children performed six individual sessions of the procedure and, in each session, one food of the following classes was presented: protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. There were 24 trials in each session, six trials of each food type. The participants’ responses were classified into acceptance, expulsion, and interruption. The following acceptance levels were considered: “low” - 30 or less small portions accepted; “moderate”- 31-60 small portions of food accepted; and “high”- more than 60 small portions accepted. The participant’s responses did not produce any kind of differential consequences such as social reinforcement, gifts or something that appealed to the child. P1 got overall index of low food acceptance to all groups of food, P2 and P5 reached the moderate level of food acceptance, and P3, P4, and P6 reached high acceptance level. The results showed that the half of the participants obtained high acceptance level. The foods most accepted by par-ticipants was the protein and carbohydrates, the less accepted was the vegetables and fruits. P2 shows a moderate level of food acceptance and preference for protein; P3 shows a high acceptance level in three groups, except for vegetables; P4 shows a high acceptance level for carbohydrates and protein, moderate for vegetables e low level for fruits; P5 shows high level for protein, moderate for carbohydrates, and low acceptance level for fruits and vegetables; P6 shows a high acceptance level for all groups of food. For five participants, there was a divergence between the questionnaire data and the performance in the procedure, indicating the importance of direct measures of behavior. The procedure was effective in assessing eating habits and also served as an intervention for the insertion of new foods in the participants’ routine. The controlled context of the experiment, calm and quiet, with a few interventions by the researchers, may have facilitated the experimentation of certain foods for some children. It can be suggested that this same procedure be also applied in the evaluation for the planning of interventions directed to the eating habits of autistic children, since it includes information that only by the report of the parents is not possible. New studies are suggested with a larger sample and with neurotypical children.

• português

  Este estudo avaliou a aceitação alimentar de crianças com TEA, adaptando o procedimento de Ahearn et al. (2001), para a cultura brasileira. Participaram seis crianças com TEA, que realizaram seis sessões individuais. Antes, os responsáveis responderam a um questionário sobre os hábitos alimentares dos participantes. Em cada sessão, foi apresentado um alimento das classes proteína, carboidrato, frutas e legumes/hortaliças. Foram 24 tentativas por sessão, sendo seis de cada alimento. As respostas emitidas pelos participantes foram registradas como aceitação, expulsão e interrupção. Os níveis de aceitação foram os seguintes: “baixo” - 30 ou menos aceites; “moderado” - de 31 a 60; e “alto” - mais de 60 porções aceitas. P1 obteve índice baixo, P2 e P5 nível moderado, e P3, P4 e P6 nível alto de aceitação. Os resultados apontaram que metade da amostra obteve índice alto de aceitação geral. Os alimentos mais aceitos foram proteínas e carboidratos. Para cinco participantes houve divergência entre os dados do questionário e o desempenho no procedimento, indicando a importância de medidas diretas do comportamento. Novos estudos são sugeridos com um número maior de participantes, assim como a comparação com crianças neurotípicas.