Families with autistic children need support

By Mike King, executive director, I Am Hope Foundation

Last week, there was an article about a five-year-old Wellington boy with autism who’d been diagnosed with scurvy after reportedly living on a diet of chicken and biscuits.

The story explained scurvy is caused by a severe vitamin C deficiency and is something most of us associate with sailors from centuries ago who had no access to fresh fruit or vegetables.

Doctors involved in the case used the report to remind colleagues to check diet history when treating patients, particularly elderly people and autistic children who may have restricted eating patterns.

From a medical point of view that makes sense. Doctors sharing a rare case study to raise awareness among other health professionals is a good thing. But the way stories like this are presented in the media can unintentionally cause real harm to parents raising autistic children.

Anyone living in a house with a child on the spectrum knows food can become one of the biggest daily battles. For many autistic kids eating is not simply a matter of choice or discipline. Sensory issues, anxiety, texture sensitivity, smell, colour and routine all play a role. What looks like stubbornness to the outside world can actually be overwhelming distress for the child.

Behind closed doors there’s often a parent spending an enormous amount of time trying to make things work. Coaxing. Encouraging. Trying again. Serving the same safe foods while still looking for small openings to introduce something new.

Celebrating tiny wins no one else would even notice. A bite here. A new texture there. Sometimes progress is painfully slow. Sometimes it feels impossible, but still they keep going. And all the while there’s that constant background worry.

Is my child getting what they need? Am I doing enough? What will people think if they knew how hard this is? That quiet pressure sits in many homes already. So when an article highlights a rare medical case and places the words autism and restricted diet beside a serious condition like scurvy, it can reinforce a damaging narrative.

Readers may walk away thinking parents of autistic children are neglectful or irresponsible. That could not be further from the truth. Most are already operating under enormous pressure, navigating specialists, therapy appointments, schools that do not always understand their children, and a society that still has limited awareness of autism.

Stories like this can increase shame and fear. They can make parents feel if their child struggles with food they’ll be blamed if something goes wrong. Instead of encouraging open conversations with doctors, it can make families more anxious about being judged.

The reality is restricted eating in autism is common and well understood by professionals. What families need is support, education and compassion. Not headlines that risk turning a complex challenge into a cautionary tale about parenting.

Because behind every child with autism is often someone quietly carrying more than most people will ever see, and doing it with extraordinary patience, love and endurance.

Under 25 and need someone to talk to? Book a free counsellor at gumbootfriday.org.nz – no GP referral needed.