Nutritional intake and resting may be supported by providing places to sit and eat some favorite finger foods. Easily swallowed finger food such as marshmallows may sustain their attention for a few minutes when a rest period is needed.
Hand-over-hand assistance for feeding may be extended to doing other actions to increase attention to passive range of motion. As a feeding technique, it is usually too slow for adequate nutritional intake. As a range of motion technique, it can be an effective method for having them sit down for 5 to 10 minutes when perpetual walking is exhausting them.
Finger food may be eaten independently and favorites are appreciated, but what they actually eat is done so slowly that they run out of mental energy before they consume enough. They still have to be feed.
Food must be cut up into small pieces without strings because stringy and not chewed lumps are not noticed and choking is a hazard. Verbal encouragement to continue eating is often necessary.
Prevent spills by filling the cup half full.
Be sure that hot foods and liquids have cooled down before placing them in front of the person because they probably will not check them.