Picky eating, feeding therapy and ABA in Union County

Picky eating in an autistic child in Union County, NJ: when feeding therapy or ABA helps, how to get referrals, and what to ask providers.

Published October 18, 2026 · Union County, New Jersey

Why picky eating matters for autistic children

Many autistic children eat a narrow range of foods. Some refuse entire food groups, some will only eat foods of one texture or color, and some gag or panic at new smells. This is not always simple fussiness. Sensory sensitivity, oral motor differences, anxiety, and past medical issues such as reflux can all play a role. Before you decide which kind of help fits, it helps to understand what is driving the problem in your child specifically.

Picky eating becomes a concern to act on when it affects growth, when the list of foods your child accepts keeps shrinking, when mealtimes cause significant distress for the whole family, or when your child is losing skills they once had. Your pediatrician is the first person to tell about these changes, and it is reasonable to ask for a referral at the same visit.

Feeding therapy and ABA are not the same thing

Feeding therapy is usually delivered by a speech-language pathologist or an occupational therapist who specializes in feeding. It looks at how your child chews, swallows, moves food around the mouth, and responds to textures. It can include work on oral motor skills and on sensory tolerance around food.

Applied behavior analysis, or ABA, is a therapy that looks at the behavior around eating: what happens before and after a food is refused, what motivates your child, and how new skills can be taught in small steps. ABA is often used alongside feeding therapy, and some ABA providers include feeding goals in their programs. Ask any provider directly which approach they take and who would be doing the work. A good provider can explain how they measure progress.

Start with your pediatrician and a written referral

Ask your child's pediatrician for a written referral for a feeding evaluation and, if you are considering ABA, a referral for an autism-related behavioral assessment. Many insurers, including Medicaid managed care plans, require a referral or prior authorization before therapy begins. Ask the office to send the referral to your insurer directly, and keep a copy for yourself.

Keep a food and behavior log for two to three weeks before the first appointment. Note what your child ate, how much, what was refused, what happened right before a refusal, and how long meals lasted. A simple phone note is enough. Specific examples help evaluators far more than general descriptions like "she doesn't eat anything."

Getting services for a child under 3 or 3 and older

If your child is under 3, the New Jersey Early Intervention System is the public program to contact. Early Intervention can evaluate feeding and developmental needs and create an Individualized Family Service Plan. Ask for a feeding evaluation to be included in the assessment if you have concerns about eating.

If your child is 3 or older, PerformCare is the single access point for New Jersey's Children's System of Care. You can contact PerformCare to ask about behavioral health services, including applied behavior analysis, and to learn which providers in your area are in its network. Ask them what documentation they need from you and your pediatrician.

Insurance: NJ FamilyCare and private plans

NJ FamilyCare is New Jersey's Medicaid and CHIP program. Families enrolled through NJ FamilyCare typically receive coverage through a managed care plan. Common plans in New Jersey include Horizon NJ Health, Wellpoint, Aetna Better Health of NJ, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Check which plan your child is enrolled in, and call the member services number on the back of the card to confirm whether feeding therapy and ABA require prior authorization, which providers are in network, and whether there are limits on visits per year.

If you have private employer coverage, ask your plan the same questions. Coverage rules vary between plans and can change, so get answers in writing when you can. Write down the name of the person you spoke with, the date, and the reference number of the call.

Finding providers in Union County

Union County has 21 municipalities, and according to the federal NPPES registry there are 52 ABA providers registered in the county. Seventeen towns have a provider registered in town, and every town has one within about 7 miles. Towns with the most registered providers include Union, Cranford, Clark, Westfield, Elizabeth, and Linden. Provider counts on a registry do not tell you about waiting lists or whether a provider is accepting new clients, so you will need to ask.

When you call a provider, ask: Do you accept my child's specific insurance plan? Are you accepting new clients now, and if not, when do you expect to be? Do you provide feeding therapy or work with a feeding specialist? Who will do the assessment, and what are their credentials? How often will my child be seen, and how will progress be measured? Will you share data with my child's school or pediatrician?

Working with your child's school

If your child is school-aged, the school district has its own obligations to evaluate and support a child whose eating or behavior affects learning. Several Union County districts serve families, including Berkeley Heights, Clark Township, Cranford, Elizabeth, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, and Plainfield. Ask the district's child study team in writing for an evaluation if you believe feeding or behavior is affecting school. Lunch is a common place where problems show up, so ask whether a school feeding plan or accommodation can be written into an IEP or 504 plan if one is needed.

What to expect and what remains uncertain

Progress with picky eating is often slow and uneven. A child may accept a food on one day and refuse it the next. Feeding therapy and ABA can help, but neither guarantees that your child will eat a wide variety of foods. Ask providers to describe realistic goals for your child, and be wary of anyone who promises a specific outcome in a fixed timeframe.

This guide is independent and does not provide therapy, diagnoses, or insurance billing. Details about coverage, provider availability, and program rules can change, so confirm them directly with your child's pediatrician, your insurance plan, PerformCare, or the relevant school district before you make decisions.