Practical, neurodiversity-affirming nutrition support for ADHD, Autism, ARFID, sensory differences and restrictive eating.
Eating isn’t always simple. Sensory sensitivities, executive functioning, interoception, appetite differences, anxiety, routines and strong food preferences can all influence how, what and when someone eats.
At Aster for Health, the goal isn’t to force someone to “just eat normally”. We work with the individual, their needs and their strengths to support nutrition in a practical, respectful and achievable way.
Nutrition support that suits you
Support may be helpful for children, adolescents or adults experiencing:
- Autism-related eating differences
- ADHD and nutrition challenges
- ARFID Restrictive or selective eating
- Sensory sensitivities around food
- Strong preferences for particular brands, textures or presentations
- Limited food variety
- Difficulty recognising hunger or fullness
- Irregular eating patterns
- Executive-function challenges around planning and preparing food
- Anxiety around unfamiliar foods
- Concerns about nutritional adequacy
The priority is always the person — not simply increasing the number of foods they eat.
Clinical Nutritionist (BHSc) • Certified Practising Nutritionist (CPN) • Registered NDIS Provider • Qualified Fitness Coach
Looking beyond “picky eating”
There can be a significant difference between ordinary food preferences and eating challenges associated with sensory processing, neurodivergence, anxiety or ARFID. Instead of focusing on pressure, restriction or making foods “good” or “bad”, we look at what is making eating difficult and where meaningful support can be introduced.
Food can involve much more than taste. Texture, smell, appearance, temperature, predictability, interoception, executive functioning, routine and the eating environment can all influence a person’s ability to eat. Our approach respects these differences.
Rather than forcing food exposure or focusing on what someone “should” eat, we first seek to understand what is making nutrition difficult and identify practical strategies that support the individual.
That might mean supporting nutritional adequacy within an individual’s accepted foods first, modifying routines or environments, finding realistic alternatives, supporting food exploration when appropriate, or working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals.
Progress can look different for every person.
Supporting families too
When a child has a very limited range of ‘safe’ foods, mealtimes can become stressful for the entire family. Parents often receive conflicting advice about what their child “should” eat, while knowing that simply serving a different meal doesn’t necessarily mean their child can eat it. Our approach is compassionate and practical. We work with the child’s current abilities and needs while helping families find realistic ways to support nutrition and reduce unnecessary pressure around food.
Collaborative care
Where appropriate and with consent, nutrition support can complement care from GPs, paediatricians, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, feeding therapists and other members of the person’s healthcare team.
Let’s make nutrition work for the person — not the other way around. Book a free 15-minute conversation and we can discuss whether Aster is the right fit for you.
