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First Bite: Supporting Families Facing Feeding Challenges
Feeding challenges are common among autistic children and can significantly affect their health, development, and family life. With long waitlists for services and barriers such as cost and travel, many families go without timely support.
To address this gap, a team of UW researchers launched “First Bite,” a pilot caregiver training and consultation program developed in partnership by the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Speech & Hearing Sciences, and the IHDD. The program includes eight virtual group education sessions and four individual consultations, designed to support caregivers while their children await feeding services.
Piloted at the UW Autism Center, “First Bite” aims to help families meet feeding goals and reduce the need for direct services. The project will gather data on feasibility, effectiveness, and resource use to inform future expansion and grant applications.
Learn more via UW Population Health: Six proof-of-concept grants awarded to UW teams
